MovieChat Forums > The Men Who Built America (2012) Discussion > the wealth of nations

the wealth of nations

posted 10 years ago by Malamute26
3 replies | jump to latest

Some of these elite who want no regulations so they can make a profit..... The race between Carnegie and Rockefeller was a perfect example of why regs and labor unions are necessary. There is nothing wrong with making a massive profit but this turned into a game for Carnegie, pushing the limit of his workers. While the workers were not forced to work and could have left whenever, Carnegie was maximizing profits while, i forget the stat, something like, 1 in 11 workers were injured/died a week?! While we have seen deregulation over the last 60 years it will continue to get worse. But it is a global economy now. Things like the transpacific partnership will suck more jobs away from the US to places like Vietnam where there are no labor unions and and they make $2.50 a day.

[–] Phidippides 10 years ago

Regulation and unions were necessary at the time precisely because of the kinds of stunts pulled by company owners and/or managers. People did not have the same level of education back then, and they had less ability to move from one job to another. Therefore, they probably faced the choice of either working or having their families starve for lack of income.

With that said, don't make the mistake of thinking we live in the same kind of world as the late nineteenth century. People today are much more educated, mobile, and safe from the losing the basic necessities of life. Regulation often adds costs to businesses and makes them less efficient, which in turn raises the cost of goods. If 1 in 11 workers at a giant corporate factory started dying today, the lawsuits would be so huge that the company would change its practices ASAP. In essence, the business world of today is quite unlike that of the 1890s.

~After enjoying that movie, I figured I'd drop by IMDB to read about all of its problems.

[–] Malamute26 10 years ago

While some variables are different. It is up to US policy to decide where those jobs will be. WHen you have corporations own gov't, they dictate US policy. NAFTA and the TPP is coming. There are over 300 million people in the US. If you aren't brainwashed to spend, sure 40 grand a year is fine. The center of wealth in this world will be the US. More Indian and Chinese are moving here while the average american can only live off of the govt's teet. Most are oblivious to this progression, but it is happening and it will get worse. What you are talking about is regulations on Americans. Which doesn't matter as more and more jobs are going out of the country for much less wages and much more profit for corporations.

[–] lantzn 9 years ago

The series ended on a high note when the middle class and small to medium size business man were the up a coming thing. Now the middle class is mostly gone or can hardly make a "living" wage. It's a sad state of affairs.