Government Reactions:
During the time of Andrew Carnegie's legacy, there were plenty other men who ruled the business of industry. These men were rich and powerful compared to the common man who worked for them. The government felt like laws must be made in order to keep the economy balanced. Therefore, they places tariffs, regulation on pricing, and a law that no monopolies were allowed(to let other businesses thrive). This reaction led to the French term "laissez faire" which in economics, means let them be. Most industrialists felt like they worked hard to earn their money and should be able to earn it the way they want. Andrew Carnegie was one of these men. He believed that he had worked hard for his money, since he grew up in a poor family, so he should be able to keep it. But, he also believed that no rich man should be greedy, but become a philanthropist. This was another subject that Andrew Carnegie took both sides on.
Public Reactions:
For the most part, the public saw Andrew Carnegie as a hard , generous man. Andrew Carnegie participated in the writing of many books and was on the cover of magazines which made the people view him greatly. Many industrialists did this to gain support from the public and to get them to buy their products. Not to mention that his great works in philanthropy got great support nationwide. Overall the public liked Andrew Carnegie and viewed him as a good man.