Challenging Conventions: Rethinking Carnigie’s Meritocracy In his highly praised and influential essay “The Gospel of Wealth” (1889), Andrew Carnigie champions the idea that those who possess industrious habits and talents “invariably secure enormous rewards, no matter where or under what laws or conditions” (528). After immigrating from Scotland as a young boy and finding immense success in the capitalist marketplace of the United States, Carnegie positioned himself as the epitome of the “rags to riches” American success story, serving as a prime example of how success can be found in even the most unsuspecting of places if one possesses an industrious tool set. While Carniegie’s philosophy of success rooted in hard work and competition is reflective of his own immigrant experiences and echoes the sentiments of the American Dream, it provides a rather narrow perspective on what it takes to succeed and fails to recognize the presence of an uneven playing field that prevented marginalized groups from realizing the same benefits he enjoyed, those of white men during this era of American history.
