Was John D. Rockefeller a Robber Baron? A robber baron, by definition, is a nineteenth-century businessman who acquired his fortune through ruthless means. When determining whether an individual can be considered a robber baron, it is very important to examine his intentions in his industry, how he actually earned money, and what he did with the money he earned. Taking all this into account, it is clear that oil tycoon John D. Rockefeller was no robber baron. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay First, Rockefeller didn't want to go into the industry solely to make money. Of course he had to make a living somehow, and this was simply the profession he chose. Having been an accountant in his past, Rockefeller was obsessed with organizing and saw an opportunity to help the oil industry seize what he knew it had to offer. In fact, Rockefeller himself stated: “If your only goal is to get rich, you will never achieve it.” Rockefeller had no intention of exploiting anyone, but simply to step forward in what he saw as a need for organization in the oil boom that came at the end of the 19th century. Second, Rockefeller made money in ways that may have seemed immoral, but were in no way illegal. As his company was growing, it was natural that it made more profits and began to outperform other companies. This was because he was successful and good at what he did, not because he exploited others. He was simply a businessman following the American dream, working in a capitalist economy to support his family. He attended church on Sundays and was known to be very faithful. He also offered competitors very fair prices when he purchased them: “I thought his feelings were such in the matter that I could trust him, and that he would deal honorably with me” (Chernow, 42). Finally, the way Rockefeller spent the money he earned - without screwing people over - was very honorable. Rockefeller and his family were devout Christians and donated much of their fortune to the Church. Rockefeller donated money to support universities and even founded the University of Chicago. He also donated money to support medical research and scientific advances. By the end of his life, Rockefeller's charitable donations totaled more than $530 million. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay All in all, it is clear that being a capitalist and standing up for yourself does not make you a bad person. John D. Rockefeller was just that: a businessman who made a living. His motivation was not to get rich, but to help American industry. He expanded his company in a fair and law-abiding manner and used his profits to improve the well-being of society as a whole. There's no way he could be considered a ruthless robber baron.