Tarbell's History of Standard Oil

1. How did Rockefeller set out to acquire control of the oil industry?
          

           Rockefeller acquired the oil industry through taking control of the organization and the manner in which oil was sold. Previously, refineries sent oil straight to their own agents throughout the country, where these agents sold the oil to households and companies. Rockefeller set out to making all the agents selling oil work for him. These agents would still report to the same refinery, who would report to a main regional business, who would eventually report to John D. Rockefeller at the top, making money from all the businesses below him.

2. Do you think Rockefeller deserved to be called a "robber baron?" Why or why not?

            

            I think it is fair to some extent to call Rockefeller a “robber baron”. This term generally refers to a businessman who used questionable methods to achieve their wealth. It is clear that Rockefeller was very determined when he put his mind to something, and perhaps in the process of acquiring a whole business this could have led him down some questionable roads. It is very unlikely that in the process of taking over an entire industry, he wouldn’t dabble in some, perhaps, alternative business methods. However, it is also unlikely that this was his goal from the beginning; his original goal was to use his cunning and intelligence to make money of a blossoming industry.