Compassionate Philanthropist or Shrewd Business Owner

Is Andrew Carnegie a shrewd and calculated businessman who only cares about the profit of his companies. Or is he a “robin hood” type charter giving back his wealth to the people of America and making the country better than he found it. Throughout the examination of Andrew Carnegie, one sees two men. On one side, you have a philanthropist, someone who gave away his wealth to help support the development of others and move the country in a positive direction through the creation of public libraries that were meant to promote the education and individualistic spirit of the nation. On the other side, you have a shrewd businessman who stood back and let his workers get killed by the Pinkertons over labor disputes ( and also lowering their wages), Carnegie was two faced when it came to unions as well, only supporting them when they made him money; and turning on them when they didn’t offer him any financial help. So who is the real Andrew Carnegie? This question is very complicated to answer, and depends on what you view him as, is he the wealthy philanthropist, or the “robber baron”. Viewing characters in history as purely “good” or “bad” cheapens the actions that figure had on the time period they were in, it’s possible to view Carnegie as a progressive philanthropist dedicated to helping out the common man, and as a shrewd businessman who busted unions and had a rocky relationship with labor organizations. However, Carnegie’s impact on the nation in regards to business and charity is undeniable