Raubritters, or Robber Barons were medieval German Nobles, who charged tolls on roads which crossed their land, unauthorized by their Holy government, to line their pockets at the expense of the public. They were villified as "Rent seekers." In the late 19th & 20th Century United States, major corporations were blasted as Robber Barons for their unscrupulous methods to get rich, creating Americas first monopolies during the second industrial revolution. Ironically, the most powerful Robber Barons like JD Rockerfeller, Cornelius Vanderbuilt, Thomas Edison, and JP Morgan were a new breed of corporate technology giants, seeking profits over safety, and power over the American people, sparking the Marxist and Populous waves, which brought Worker Unions to the defense of the American worker. Some will say much has changed since the days of corporate abuses like the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire, the major Railroad strikes, or the mysterious death of Jimmy Hoffa? Yay, but today, in the 21st Century, how many Americans are aware that the once innovative and common friend of all internet users, Google, was fined for $2.7 Billion for monopoly abuses in Europe by the European Union? Or, that Facebook's recent major breach of trust in collusion with Cambridge Analytica, to take personal information of users without formal consent, to create products solutions for political campaigns and corporate advertisers, is nothing to fear? How many people know that the user friendly, Uber service has exploited its operatives to the tune of gross revenues at $37 Billion, but their drivers pay their own insurance, gas, and maintenance for their vehicles? Unfortunately, it is sorry to say, the return of the Robber Baron is here and we ask what our American Politicians will do to justly balance the massive inequities being placed on ordinary defenseless American workers and consumers.
To Be Continued... CFAmayeobu@gmail.com for full article.
Sources:
1. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2016/04/20/google-accused-of-abusing-android-smartphone-monopoly-in-new-bat/
2. https://www.wired.com/story/google-big-eu-fine/
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robber_baron_(industrialist)#1860s%E2%80%931920s
4. http://www.latimes.com/business/technology/la-fi-uber-earnings-20180214-story.html
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