Since the time of its birth, the United States has been a democracy that was pieced together by the beliefs and ideas of different people. This has resulted in a system in which nothing can be classified as "black or white" and there are many areas of gray. Therefore, it is difficult to label anything as a singular extreme. This is the case for the leaders of the industrial period. While they made unprecedented advancements that greatly helped the public, they also caused many problems that proved to be quite detrimental. While the Industrialists of the late 19th Century were indeed Captains of Industry, they were only able to reach that level by using the power they obtained as Robber Barons. .
Industrialists such as Andrew Carnegie and John Rockefeller are seen by many as heroes whose industrial and philanthropic contributions, had, and continue to have, an enormous positive impact on the country. Others perceive them as robbers who ruthlessly destroyed the businesses and lives of many merely for personal profit. There is no one right response to the actions of these men and there is an overwhelming amount of support for each side. Carnegie, founder of the Carnegie Steel Company, was influential in many internal improvements during the 19th century such as railroads and the Brooklyn Bridge and the Washington monument. Carnegie finally sold his company for a half billion dollars allowing one big monopoly to exist. Rockefeller, the founder of the Standard Oil Company, thought that competition accomplished nothing and he either gained control of or destroyed all of his competitors in Cleveland. Rockefeller is still credited with having organized and imposed order on the petroleum industry. This was one of the most significant advancements in American history and without it, the country may never have industrialized or taken a significantly longer time to do so. .
Carnegie, Rockefeller and other such industrialists were adamantly seen as Captains of Industry by many because of their success in conquering the "American Dream.
