Robber Barons

Bill Gates is the second wealthiest person in the US and the world.
With what Windows has become, and the rumors that eventually it will become a subscription service, is it fair to say Mr Gates is a modern-day "Robber Baron"?

https://www.businessinsider.com/robber-barons-who-built-and-ruled-america-2017-7?IR=T
What do you think?

 

I would simply say he is a highly intelligent, hard-working entrepreneur who deserves everything he has achieved. He didn't steal it, or force people to purchase his wares. I admire him.

 

Well.. with what he makes on companies that license his products, I think "he" could afford to give it to consumers. Example, if your company is a 'partner' you can buy office for $15, which retails for $120. Did you know he bought into Apple when it was failing - so he kept some competition as not to monopolize the market, eh? He is very smart

 

Since he has no monopoly, treats his employees well, contributes an astronomical amount of money to charity, and his product/service is not required to sustain human life... No.

https://www.britannica.com/topic/robber-baron

 

I think the term Robber Baron was applied to rich industrialist who really didn't deserve it.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robber_baron_(industrialist)#Philanthropy

 

I personally think Microsoft as an entity are greedy and money hungry just like Apple and most other large corporations and lets face it, they are in business to make money and they make lots of it.
Bill Gates made a lot of money it is true but realised he had far more money than he would ever need so he became a philanthropist and has given huge amounts of his wealth to charitable causes via his foundation. He helps the poorest people in the world who will never be able to repay him so he is not doing it to get a return on his investment but rather, he is doing it to help people and children who are in dire need of the most basic necessities we take for granted like fresh water, food and medical treatment.
Some Bill Gates detractors say he only became a philanthropist to ease his guilty conscience after he setup Microsoft and aggressively guided them to a multibillion $$$ company but I think that if he was really a Robber Baron he would have been like Scrooge and kept all the money to himself.

 

The man ( and his lady ) have done more good for other people than most countries or governments. I would imagine if they would have made their money another way, this would still be the same. Things like that take a 'want to'!

 

Some Robber Barons were/are philanthropists.
This is what John D. Rockefeller did. And he's not the only one.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_D._Rockefeller#Philanthropy

Microsoft needs to stop stealing and lying about why they're stealing.
Here's a fine example...
https://blog.ashampoo.com/en/2018-1...p-on-your-pc-is-not-windows&utm_campaign=blog

 

I like this poem attributed to Rockefeller on the wiki page :

I was early taught to work as well as play,
My life has been one long, happy holiday;
Full of work and full of play—
I dropped the worry on the way—
And God was good to me everyday.

I like the fourth line the most : 'I dropped the worry on the way'.
I was never taught that, but it is mostly how I operate.

 

Even if you pay your employees poverty or less wages, force them to shop at a company store with scrip, and place them in substandard housing, you can still engage in philanthropy.

It just makes you a bigger hypocrite, as well as a complete ***hole.

 

If people work under those conditions they need to get motivated to better themselves to a different way of life. I've personally seen individuals who started as the lowest helpers who are now business owners selling product to those they started working for. And commanding good prices. You have to turn the 'get around to it' attitude into a 'want to' attitude'. Ruthless owners will always be around. People need to grab those 'bootstraps', tighten up and look for better. In some places maybe that's not available, but everywhere I've been, opportunity knocks.

 

Try working for temp agency's.These temp places really could care less about you.If the company you work for,Does not like you for some reason they just get rid of you.Even if you are a hard worker.And show up every day for work.

I have worked for places like these.Sure some may pay you up to 9 or 10 dollars an hour wage.But the stress conditions can be brutal.I have worked 12 to 16 hour shift for all most nothing.

 

It should not be permissible to treat people like trash in the first place. The "bootstrap" argument is old, tired, and never held water. We still have a "robber baron" culture in the States, but it's evolved. Now, corporations get tax breaks, subsidies, pay employees a pittance, and to make ends meet people end up on government assistance to augment their earnings.

One would do well to remember that not everyone is as smart as you may be.