What is the gospel of wealth?

Scottish-American billionaire Andrew Carnegie based his philosophy on the observation that the heirs of large fortunes frequently squandered them in riotous living rather than nurturing and growing them. Even bequeathing one's fortune to charity was no guarantee that it would be used wisely, since there was no guarantee that a charitable organization not under one's direction would use the money in accordance with one's wishes. Carnegie disapproved of charitable giving that merely maintained the poor in their impoverished state, and urged a movement toward the creation of a new mode of giving which would create opportunities for the beneficiaries of the gift to better themselves. As a result, the gift would not be merely consumed, but would be productive of even greater wealth throughout the society.

Carnegie put his philosophy into practice through a program of gifts to endow public libraries, known as 'Carnegie libraries' in cities and towns throughout the United States and the English-speaking world, with the idea that he was thus providing people with the tools to better themselves. In order to ensure that his gifts would not be wasted, he stipulated that the municipality must pass an ordinance establishing a tax to support the library's ongoing operating costs after the initial grant provided the costs for building and equipping the library. After several communities squandered their grants on extravagant buildings, Carnegie established a system of architectural guidelines that mandated simplicity and functionality. When it became obvious that Carnegie could not give away his entire fortune within his lifetime, he established the Carnegie Foundation to continue his program of giving.

The Gospel of Wealth is a text written by Andrew Carnegie (1835-1919) which deals with two issues:

1- The problem of the administration of wealth

2- The best fields for philanthropy.

Carnegie was a Scottish-born American who started as a telegrapher and became a very wealthy man with his steel company which he founded.

He is considered as the second rich man in History after John D. Rockefeller.

Top rich men have absolutely what they need for the present and for the future. What to do with the rest of the fortune?

Carnegie saw that many rich heirs were squandering their fortune. A fortune they had not earned with sweat.

So he wrote a text the Gospel of Wealth to tell rich people what to do with their wealth.

However, this kind of philanthropy is not new, nor invented by Carnegie. In the Hellenistic times, it was current, and it was called evergetism. Evergetes were numerous and proud of it. Proud to contribute to society in a lasting way. Without evergetes, we would not have all those beautiful columns, and temples, of the Hellenistic times.

I do believe that once you have reached the top, you have space and time to give yourself another dimension and you can reach humanity or at least a part of it, by giving funds for serious purposes, hospital equipment, or hospitals themselves (the building of hospitals), orphanages, etc... So that you know that the money you have owned is distributed for a good cause even after your death. It is a way to control your money after death, but also while alive, and see it grow differently.

It may be accompanied with pride. But that is not our problem, is it?

I wish I could be an evergete, it would mean that I am rich!!!