3 thinkers, books, and ideas connected to this field.
Scottish-born American steel magnate — who built Carnegie Steel Company (sold to J.P. Morgan as U.S. Steel in 1901 for $480M) — then gave virtually all of it away, funding 2,509 public libraries, Carnegie Hall, Carnegie Mellon University, and the Carnegie Endowment.
American banking titan who reorganized railroads, financed U.S. Steel (largest company in the world at formation), saved the US government from bankruptcy twice (1895, 1907), and assembled the most important private art collection in American history.
American oil magnate — founder of Standard Oil, the world's first and greatest monopoly — who at his peak controlled 90% of US oil refining — the wealthiest private individual in modern history (inflation-adjusted) — who then gave away over $500 million, founding the University of Chicago and Rockefeller University.