Wealth at death: $475,000,000
Wealth/GDP: 1/166
卡耐基是一個富有爭議性的大富豪，企業家，慈善家。
一方麵他非常樂善好施，是美國富人中數一數二的慈善家。另一方麵，據說他對工人特別苛刻，經常要求工人加班 and cut wages。
Carnegie once told his worker who complained,"If you don't want to work for me, you can find another boss or work for yourself".
Then, it really makes sense for his dichotomousness. Enterpreneurs take the full responsibility of the business risk and their businesses may go into bankruptcy next day. Workers don't need to worry about this risk and they get the salaries for sure. They don't have the same amount of stake in risk as entrepreneurs. If the firm goes bankrupt, they just find another boss. If they want bonus, they need to work harder, but they still don't assume the risk of the business.
If you really want to be rich, you get to be your own boss and take the risk. The greatness of this country is that it provides plenty of facilities, opportunities and protections for people who want to run their own business.
On the other hand, to be rich also helps you to be more supportive of your community. Rich people donote money to communities, schools, universities, libraries and museums so that normal people can enjoy.
Think about Bill Gates (Wealth/GDP: 1/152 ) and Warren Buffett! The way they do business is ruthless, but they make the capital more efficient and the world richer. At the same time, they are great philanthropists.
Anyway, to be rich is glorious!
Mr. Deng said it!
A quote from Carnegie
"Man does not live by bread alone. I have known millionaires starving for lack of the nutriment which alone can sustain all that is human in man, and I know workmen, and many so-called poor men, who revel in luxuries beyond the power of those millionaires to reach. It is the mind that makes the body rich. There is no class so pitiably wretched as that which possesses money and nothing else. Money can only be the useful drudge of things immeasurably higher than itself. Exalted beyond this, as it sometimes is, it remains Caliban still and still plays the beast. My aspirations take a higher flight. Mine be it to have contributed to the enlightenment and the joys of the mind, to the things of the spirit, to all that tends to bring into the lives of the toilers of Pittsburgh sweetness and light. I hold this the noblest possible use of wealth."
Another quote from Carnegie in Chinese
"如果我們隻圖從別人那裏獲得什麽，那我們就無法給人一些真誠的讚美，那也就無法真誠地給別人一些快樂了。 如果一定要說我想得到什麽的話，告訴你，我想得到的隻是一件無價的東西。這就是我為他做了一件事情，而他又無法回報我；過後很久，在我心中還會有一種滿足的感覺。"
