Practice Test

Question 13 • United States History and Geography

In what way did Carnegie’s “Gospel of Wealth” challenge social Darwinism?

Answer

Carnegie declared that the rich obtained their wealth from circumstance, not because they were fitter than the less fortunate.

Carnegie promoted the idea that the rich are entitled to their wealth because they are smarter and more resourceful.

Carnegie wrote that wealthy industrialists should give handouts directly to less fortunate people.

Carnegie stated that the wealthy are the fittest and therefore have an obligation to the less fortunate.

Explanation

Carnegie accepted the idea that successful people had become wealthy through qualities such as ability and enterprise, but he argued that wealth brought a duty to serve society. In the “Gospel of Wealth,” he urged the rich to use their fortunes for the public good rather than simply keep them or distribute cash as handouts. Thus D best captures how he linked wealth with an obligation to the less fortunate.

AI-written and checked against the verified answer.

More from this Course

Practice Test

Practice Test

Practice Test