The history of inventors is generally the same old struggle with poverty... The history of James Watt, the inventor of the steam-engine, is no exception to the rule of struggling to win. He was born in the little town of Greenock, Scotland, 1736. Too delicate to attend school, he was taught reading by his mother, and a little writing and arithmetic by his father. When six years of age, he would draw mechanical lines and circles on the hearth, with a colored piece of chalk. His favorite play was to take to pieces his little carpenter tools, and make them into different ones. He was an obedient boy, especially devoted to his mother, a cheerful and very intelligent woman, who always encouraged him.

Vous savez tous que le poisson ne saute pas à la mouche, en temps calme. C'est quand le vent souffle et que la surface de l'eau est ridée, que la pauvre victime prend l'appât pour une véritable mouche. Ainsi, il en va des affaires de ce monde. Dans les temps agités, quand les prix montent et descendent, quand la valeur du produit employé comme argent sautille, aujourd'hui en haut et demain en bas, quand les eaux sont troubles, le spéculateur habile attrape le poisson et remplit son panier de victimes. Voilà pourquoi les cultivateurs et les ouvriers, et tous ceux qui ont des récoltes à vendre, des salaires ou des gages à recevoir, ont le plus grand intérêt à obtenir et à maintenir la fixité de la valeur du produit qu'ils sont obligés d'accepter comme « argent ». S'intéressant à la question monétaire, Andrew Carnegie aborde ici l'origine de l'argent et sa nature dans un exposé visant à démontrer que le produit le plus approprié dans le rôle d'"argent" est celui dont la valeur ne change jamais. En abordant l'histoire des échanges économiques et la façon dont la monnaie est apparue dans nos sociétés, il explique ainsi les raisons pour lesquelles l'or apparait comme étant l'étalon monétaire le plus approprié.

"La seule manière de disposer de l'excédent de richesse, concentré dans les mains d'hommes prévoyants et sérieux, est de le dépenser annuellement pour le bien général" Andrew Carnegie n'était pas uniquement un homme d'affaires ingénieux. Il était aussi un milliardaire philanthrope, et comme si cela ne suffisait pas, un écrivain de talent. L'Évangile de la Richesse reste à ce jour L'un de ses textes les plus remarquables. C'est ici que pour la première fois, il exposa ses idées sur les devoirs, à la fois moraux et sociétaux, qui incombent aux plus riches. Il est même question dans les pages qui suivent d'une véritable philosophie de la philanthropie, la judicieuse redistribution des richesses étant pour lui l'un des moteurs de l'évolution humaine. À titre d'exemple, il faudrait ainsi taxer les héritages, mettre en place des impôts progressifs et renoncer à l'assistanat. Il ne fait nul doute qu'à l'heure où les écarts de richesse dans nos sociétés n'ont jamais été aussi importants, que les écrits de Mr Carnegie susciteront une attention singulière auprès du lecteur contemporain.

Great Minds of Life, Business, and Economics (10 Books) is an inspiring collection of classic works by some of the most influential thinkers, entrepreneurs, and economists in modern history. This illustrated edition brings together groundbreaking writings that explore the principles of success, industry, finance, and the development of economic thought. The collection includes powerful autobiographical works such as My Life and Work by Henry Ford and The Autobiography of Andrew Carnegie by Andrew Carnegie, where readers can discover the personal journeys and philosophies of two of the most influential business leaders of the industrial age. Alongside these memoirs are landmark works in economic thought, including The Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith, a foundational text of modern economics, as well as Progress and Poverty and Lombard Street, which explore wealth, banking, and the dynamics of economic systems. Together, these works offer a rich exploration of entrepreneurship, finance, innovation, and social responsibility. Thought-provoking and historically significant, this collection provides readers with timeless insights into the ideas that shaped modern business and economic life. Contents: oAdam Smith -The Wealth of Nations oBenjamin Franklin -The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin oWalter Bagehot -Lombard Street oWilliam Jevons -Money and the Mechanism of Exchange oHenry George -Progress and Poverty oAndrew Carnegie -Autobiography of Andrew Carnegie -The Gospel of Wealth oThorstein Veblen -The Theory of the Leisure Class oJohn D. Rockefeller -Random Reminiscences of Men and Events oHenry Ford -My Life and Work

The Classic Collection of Andrew Carnegie is a remarkable anthology of writings by Andrew Carnegie, one of the most influential business leaders and philanthropists of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. This illustrated volume brings together several of Carnegie's most significant works, including Autobiography of Andrew Carnegie, James Watt, Round the World, and the famous essay The Gospel of Wealth, along with other notable writings. Through these works, Carnegie reflects on his remarkable journey from a poor immigrant to one of the leading figures of the American steel industry. In his autobiography, he shares personal memories, lessons about hard work, ambition, and the importance of education. His essay The Gospel of Wealth presents his influential philosophy that those who accumulate great wealth have a moral responsibility to use it for the benefit of society. The collection also includes historical and biographical reflections, such as Carnegie's portrait of the inventor James Watt, as well as engaging travel observations from his journeys around the world. Thoughtful, inspiring, and historically significant, this collection offers readers a fascinating insight into Carnegie's life, ideas, and enduring legacy of entrepreneurship and philanthropy. Contents: -Autobiography of Andrew Carnegie -James Watt -The Empire of Business -An American Four-in-Hand in Britain -Round the World -The Gospel of Wealth

This posthumously published autobiography of Andrew Carnegie is a very well written and interesting accounts of the life of one of the wealthiest self-made men in American history. The industrialist and philanthropist lived his life according the following dictum: spend the first third of your life getting all the education you can; spend the next third making all the money you can; and spend the last third giving it all away for worthwhile causes. Andrew Carnegie (1835-1919) was a Scottish-American philanthropist and industrialist, who made his fortune expanding the American steel industry. Born in Fife (Scotland), his family was poor and they emigrated to Pennsylvania in 1948, in hope of finding better fortune there. He started working for the railroads at an early age, earning his way up, before leaving that industry to focus on the steel industry after the Civil War. Carnegie was also an author and while he is mostly remembered for his posthumously published autobiography, he contributed to many periodicals, discussing labour issues, and published works such "The Gospel of Wealth" (1889) and "The Empire of Business" (1902).

This posthumously published autobiography of Andrew Carnegie is a very well written and interesting accounts of the life of one of the wealthiest self-made men in American history. The industrialist and philanthropist lived his life according the following dictum: spend the first third of your life getting all the education you can; spend the next third making all the money you can; and spend the last third giving it all away for worthwhile causes.