“Unmasking the Masters of Greed: Meet the 14 People Who Took Avarice to Unthinkable Heights!”
13. Andrew Carnegie (1835 – 1919)
Andrew Carnegie’s legacy is complicated. While he is often remembered as a philanthropist, his early career was defined by ruthless business tactics. As the founder of Carnegie Steel, he amassed an enormous fortune by paying low wages and crushing labor unions.
The Homestead Strike of 1892, where striking steelworkers were met with violence, is a stark example of how Carnegie’s greed for profits outweighed his workers’ rights. Later in life, Carnegie gave away much of his fortune to fund libraries, education, and scientific research. However, his legacy is still marked by the extreme wealth he accumulated at the expense of his workers.
14. Qin Shi Huang (259 BC – 210 BC)
Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of China, unified the country through brutal military conquests, but his greed for immortality and absolute control overshadowed his accomplishments. His obsession with living forever led him to commission the construction of an underground mausoleum, complete with thousands of life-sized terracotta soldiers, and he sought out elixirs believed to grant eternal life.
Qin’s greed for power extended to his authoritarian rule, as he burned books and buried scholars alive to suppress dissent. His relentless desire for control and immortality eventually led to his downfall and the dynasty he established quickly crumbled after his death.
