Little Journeys to the Homes of the Great - Volume 11 / Little Journeys to the Homes of Great Businessmen

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

23595

Title

Little Journeys to the Homes of the Great - Volume 11 / Little Journeys to the Homes of Great Businessmen

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

This volume chronicles the lives of great businessmen like Robert Owen and James Oliver, highlighting their humanitarian approaches to industry. It explores themes of social reform, ethical commerce, and the belief that business success should benefit all parties involved, offering an inspiring look at pioneers who prioritized human welfare alongside profit.

Summary up to 500 words

In *Little Journeys to the Homes of the Great Businessmen*, Elbert Hubbard presents a compelling argument that true commercial success is inextricably linked to moral integrity and the welfare of humanity. The volume profiles visionary entrepreneurs who rejected the prevailing maxim of *caveat emptor* (let the buyer beware) in favor of a philosophy where every transaction must benefit all parties involved. Hubbard posits that business is a public trust, and the 'miraculous' success of these figures is merely the natural result of aligning personal ambition with the common good. The narrative opens with Robert Owen, a Welsh industrialist often hailed as the world's first true businessman. Owen believed that commerce should make things for people who need them, fostering harmony rather than exploitation. His journey details his rise from a young salesman to a mill superintendent in Manchester, where he implemented radical reforms. He established day and night schools for workers, improved their living conditions, and treated employees with dignity. Although his early experiment at New Harmony ultimately failed due to the inherent selfishness of individuals, Owen did not abandon his cause. Instead, he founded cooperative stores and labor exchanges, paying workers in 'Labor Script' and advocating for government support for the unemployed. Even at eighty years old, he appeared before the House of Commons to argue that poverty and crime were systemic failures requiring government reform, not individual charity. The text then shifts to James Oliver, a Scottish immigrant and plow manufacturer who embodied the virtues of industry, economy, and health. Born in poverty, Oliver emigrated to America with his family, driven by a relentless spirit of achievement. Unlike his contemporaries who laid off staff during economic downturns, Oliver maintained full employment and fair wages for decades, even during the Panic of 1893. He viewed sickness with a degree of scorn, adhering strictly to the laws of health through cold baths and calisthenics, believing that a man should remain useful until the day of his death. Oliver's leadership was characterized by a lack of lawsuits against his company and a secret pension roll supporting widows and orphans. He famously stated that if he knew he would die that night, he would spend the day making plows, equating honest labor with prayer. Through these biographies, Hubbard illustrates that the highest form of business genius involves creating value for humanity. These men built enterprises that served as models of ethical leadership, proving that self-love and benevolence are not paradoxes but complementary forces. By treating employees as human beings rather than mere cogs in a machine, these entrepreneurs set a standard for commerce that transcends mere profit, demonstrating that the greatest wealth lies in the happiness and prosperity of those one employs.

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Categories

• Biography
• Business