Were the Industrial Leaders of the Early 20th Century Robber Barons?

Many revolutions have classified time periods in history, yet none have been as ruthless as the American industrial revolution. The American nation was switching its interests from its agrarian roots to a more modernized attraction to technology and industry. A group of men stepped forth from the masses to lay claim to the many facets of this changing world. They became leaders of their own fields of business, providing the driving force behind economic and industrial change. The leaders of this revolution formed alliances with one another, so that the manufacturing power lay in the hands of a few wealthy businessmen. Even though some of these "kings" of the market came from meager beginnings, they built up their empires, acquiring more riches than the average man could possibly imagine. They used their enormous amounts of wealth for many causes, few of them honorable. There were numerous times when high-ranking officials in the government were "bought", thus allowing these moguls to take advantage of the nation, while the government turned a blind eye. …