ARCHENEMIES -- The Robber Barons

"With great power comes great responsibility…" Uncle Ben

Today most people are familiar with the word Archenemy from your favorite Superhero movie… Batman vs. the Joker. Superman vs. Lex Luther. And lets not forget Harry Potter vs. Voldemort. Maybe cartoons are your thing -- Bugs Bunny vs. Elmer Fudd. Wile E. Coyote vs. the Roadrunner. Or, Gargamel vs. the Smurfs.

They are that person that you are just hostile towards.., and them to you… That foe you can't get over.., hoping for their downfall -- if you're lucky, maybe even causing it, yourself. You know, that "pain in the butt" neighbor -- that "prick" at work -- the "son of a bitch" from your childhood that still hopes for your demise.

Archenemies.., bitter rivals -- that nemesis… The bigger the stakes.., the bigger the rivalry. In the movies and comics the theme for these characters is one of: Good vs. Evil -- a theme that has been constant throughout time. Some would say the original nemesis, is the Devil.., being God's archenemy.

"God gave me my money." John D. Rockefeller

But when you bring it down to the human level.., the rivalries that exist today and have existed throughout out history, it gets very personal. The battles that are fought, the lives destroyed… It's one thing to have a little "war" going on with your neighbor.., but when the stakes get raised, so do the rivalries. And at the turn of the century in America.., bitter rivalries were being born and archenemies were formed between the most powerful men in the country.

It was the turn of the century.., Big business was not only being born -- but on the rise. And you can bet your "behind" if big business was involved -- enemies would be made. Some would even argue that the business of those early days.., was far worse than anything we have seen, so far…

Labelled "The Robber Barons" a term used to describe British aristocracy and there American counterparts, that wielded their unrestrained power, resulting in an unbridled governing class being completely controlled by the extremely wealthy. This type of situation leaves the masses to fend for themselves in an effort just to survive, while these few lived high on the hog. At least, the term "The Robber Barons" makes them sound more like archenemies, while they tried hide behind the mask of respectability.

"A man has two reasons for doing anything:
a good reason and the real reason." -- JP Morgan

These men would become archenemies… Not just amongst themselves.., but as a whole to the American people. Even after JP Morgan basically bailed out the economy, he still would become a hated man by main street -- a nemesis to the people. The same for Rockefeller and Carnegie through their monopolizing business methods, taking nothing into consideration except profits.

The barons that were to come that wanted to create their own empires.., would set in motion, the harshest rivalries of the the time -- archenemies were being born. John D. Rockefeller, controlling the oil. Andrew Carnegie the steel. And JP Morgan banking. These men would go to be each others nemesis their whole adult lives.

Out to best each other whenever they could, to further their own agenda.., their own fortunes. They were building empires at any price. They each ran their respective business as total monopolies -- controlling the market, setting the prices.., and undermining the labor -- corruption at it's finest. At the same time these "captains of industry" were busy getting richer and trying to stick-it to one another -- people were starving.

"The wise man puts all his eggs in one basket
and watches the basket." -- Andrew Carnegie

• Cornelius Vanderbilt built up such an overwhelming fleet of steamships, so great he was known as the "Commodore," even the Navy kissed his butt. But shipping lines could not come close to matching the amount of capital and business that the railways were capable of doing and was doing. So, he sold off large amounts of the steamship business and became the biggest player in the railways business.

• John D. Rockefeller was known as the most ruthless american.., and monopolized the oil industry for years, until finally broken up by the government. One of the richest men of the time.

• Andrew Carnegie another titan.., made his money in steel. and when he sold out to JP Morgan was also one of the richest men of that era.

• JP Morgan, yet another of the titans of his time.., started in banking and was pretty much given his fortune by his father Junius Morgan. But JP Morgan knew that if wanted to grow his empire he would have to strike out on his own.
  
  

These men would battle each other regularly.., hoping for the others demise, trying anything to "one-up" each other. John D. Rockefeller wanted to crush Andrew Carnegie, so he went after the steel industry by buying a iron ore mine and threatening Carnegie with some competition. But competition was something none of these men desired.., and would do anything to squash it.

Carnegie tries to intimidate Rockefeller out of the steel industry to no avail… And winds up buying him out, with the promise he will not pursue his quest for steel any further. Early on, Carnegie financially backed Nikola Tesla with his invention of generating AC power. And at the same time JP Morgan was backing Thomas Edison generating DC power.

They went after each other just like Wile E. Coyote
and the Road Runner.

Each the others archenemies.., a true nemesis. They each built fortunes that would dwarf any ones man wealth of today. But when faced with an outside challenge, one that would threaten all their fortunes, they came together to act as one against a new nemesis. One that threatened them with regulation and breaking up of their monopolies.., a new nemesis -- William Jennings Brian.

Acting together to meet this challenge, these bitter rivals would put their hatred for each other aside to buy the Presidency of the United States by getting their guy "William McKinley" elected with an enormous amount of money and connections. With Mckinley in the highest office, regulation was rolled back and these three titans had accomplished their goal.

Even being archenemies.., they understood that their fortunes were at stake.., and together they ended the threat. Once over though, it was right back to the business of destroying each other… Rockefeller would immediately go after Carnegie's steel, only to be bought out by Carnegie -- Archenemies, once again. Then Carnegie being bought out by JP Morgan for 480 million.., Rockefeller Standard Oil being broken up by the gov't, along with JP Morgans US Steel, the tide had turned against these captains of industry.

"You have undertaken to cheat me. I won't sue you, for the law is too slow. I'll ruin you." -- Cornelius Vanderbilt

It might sound weird to refer to these men as "archenemies..," but make no mistake about it.., these titans of the time were not only each others archenemies… Despising one another deeply -- the sound of the others name made them furious. They were combined and individually, the archenemy of the public -- the people. Cheating, lying, stealing -- gaming and corrupting the system any way they could to further grow their empires.

And even though in the latter years of their lives they turned to philanthropy -- giving away 100 of millions of dollars to causes and institutions.., possibly in some attempt at redemption or salvation for the pain and suffering their actions had inflicted on the masses. But most seem to think it is just a ploy for even more power, a chance to "look" like they gave a shit.

The legacies of these archenemies lives on today in many of the institutions they funded.., but more so in the corruption they created in both government and our monetary policies. They may not look like your typical "archenemy" but their actions, their lack of respect for anything but a buck, still permeates our societies, today.

"Know your enemy…" Sun Tzu

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