History 479B

Devine

 

Study Questions: Sproat, “Organizing and Rationalizing American Capitalism”

 

  1. While Porter’s book emphasizes the structural factors that brought about the rise of big business, Sproat’s article examines the contributions of three individual entrepreneurs.  How did the personal characteristics of Rockefeller, Carnegie, and Morgan shape the businesses they built?  To what extent did these individuals put their own stamp on the way big business developed?

 

  1. To what degree was Rockefeller’s success due to “luck”?  To what degree was it due to “pluck”?

 

  1. Which of Rockefeller’s qualities seem to have been most significant in contributing to his success?

 

  1. Why did Rockefeller find Social Darwinism a congenial explanation for the growth of big business?

 

  1. Why did Rockefeller desire centralization and consolidation?

 

  1. What were the central tenets of Carnegie’s “Gospel of Wealth”?

 

  1. Which of Carnegie’s qualities seem to have been most significant in contributing to his success?

 

  1. What does the author see as Carnegie’s primary character flaws?

 

  1. How did Morgan amass his wealth and power?  What personal traits allowed him to achieve such success?

 

  1. In what ways did Morgan differ from Carnegie and Rockefeller?

 

  1. According to Sproat, why did Morgan’s “new order” not work out as well as he had anticipated?

 

  1. What is your overall assessment of these men?