Robber Baron refers to the industrial businessmen of the nineteenth century (Stiles, “Robber”). “It conjures up visions of titanic monopolists who crushed competitors, rigged markets, and corrupted governments. In their greed and power, legend has it they held sway over helpless democracy,” (Stiles, “Robber”). Founding the debates over government regulation and private enterprise or opportunity and equality, these industrial titans were either condemned as robber barons or praised as captains of industry. A challenger and spoiler, Cornelius Vanderbilt was considered, according to the New York Times editor, a robber baron (Stiles, “Robber”).
Born May 27, 1794 on Stanton Island, Cornelius Vanderbilt started working with his father at age 11, and by the age of 16, he bought a small ferry boat using a loan (“Cornelius Vanderbilt”). “Few could best him, in business, or on the street…. A cutthroat entrepreneur, he moves from sailboat to steamships, always undercutting, and then overcoming the competition,” (“Cornelius Vanderbilt”). He married his first cousin, Sophia Johnson and started his own business (Stiles, “Cornelius”). “Early on, he established a reputation as a man who was tough yet honest and capable… [he] learned to use his fists effectively, and demonstrated skill and daring handling a vessel,” …show more content…
Often, instead of appealing to solve business disputes through the law, he preferred to take matters into his own hands (Stiles, “Cornelius”). Vanderbilt’s career was often replete with extortion. When public officials desired to damage stock prices, he punished them by cornering the market in Harlem railroad shares (Stiles, “Cornelius”). “Vanderbilt was one of the great financial engineers of his day. He carried out some out the first notable stock splits, which were rewarded with rising share value on the stock market,” (Stiles,
Born May 27, 1794 on Stanton Island, Cornelius Vanderbilt started working with his father at age 11, and by the age of 16, he bought a small ferry boat using a loan (“Cornelius Vanderbilt”). “Few could best him, in business, or on the street…. A cutthroat entrepreneur, he moves from sailboat to steamships, always undercutting, and then overcoming the competition,” (“Cornelius Vanderbilt”). He married his first cousin, Sophia Johnson and started his own business (Stiles, “Cornelius”). “Early on, he established a reputation as a man who was tough yet honest and capable… [he] learned to use his fists effectively, and demonstrated skill and daring handling a vessel,” …show more content…
Often, instead of appealing to solve business disputes through the law, he preferred to take matters into his own hands (Stiles, “Cornelius”). Vanderbilt’s career was often replete with extortion. When public officials desired to damage stock prices, he punished them by cornering the market in Harlem railroad shares (Stiles, “Cornelius”). “Vanderbilt was one of the great financial engineers of his day. He carried out some out the first notable stock splits, which were rewarded with rising share value on the stock market,” (Stiles,