The Gospel of Wealth

The Scottish-born industrialist and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie (1835¿1919) was one of the titans of America¿s Gilded Age. He was also a prolific author, writing hundreds of letters to the editor, speeches, articles, and pamphlets, as well as seven books, including an Autobiography (published posthumously in 1920). Proud of his pen, Carnegie is today perhaps most celebrated as the author of a pair of articles first published in the North American Review in 1889, which together have come to be known as The Gospel of Wealth. Here, Carnegie boldly articulated his view of the rich as mere trustees of their wealth who should live unostentatiously, provide moderately for their families, and use their fortunes to promote the ¿general good.¿ Indeed, declared Carnegie: ¿The man who dies thus rich dies disgraced.¿