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Taking on the Trust: The Epic Battle of Ida Tarbell and John D. Rockefeller
How a female investigative journalist brought down the world’s greatest tycoon and broke up the Standard Oil monopoly. Long before the rise of mega-corporations like Wal-Mart and Microsoft, Standard Oil controlled the oil industry with a monopolistic force unprecedented in American business history. Undaunted by the ruthless power of its owner, John D. Rockefeller (1839–1937), a fearless and ambitious reporter named Ida Minerva Tarbell (1857–1944) confronted the company known simply as “The Trust.” Through her peerless fact gathering and devastating prose, Tarbell, a muckraking reporter at McClure’s magazine, pioneered the new practice of investigative journalism. Her shocking discoveries about Standard Oil and Rockefeller led, inexorably, to a dramatic confrontation during the opening decade of the twentieth century that culminated in the landmark 1911 Supreme Court antitrust decision breaking up the monopolies and forever altering the landscape of modern American industry. Based on extensive research in the Tarbell and Rockefeller archives, Taking on the Trust is a vivid and dramatic history of the Progressive Era with powerful resonance for the first decades of the twenty-first century.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2008
16 people are currently reading
451 people want to read
About the author
Steve Weinberg
27 books5 followersSteve Weinberg has written six previous books and dozens of investigative reports for magazines and newspapers. He teaches at the top-ranked University of Missouri Journalism School. He lives in Columbia, Missouri.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
June 7, 2021
Meh. The title of this book is misleading. It is a professional biography of Ida Tarbell with a shared focus on the subject of her most famous investigation, John D. Rockefeller. As that, the book is fine. Mr. Weinberg is a graceful writer and we get a decent look at the progressive era from the vantage point of the muckrakers.
But there is only a single chapter, ten pages on her investigation into Rockefeller and it barely scratches the surface. This is an important story too that needs thorough and painstaking explanation. It isn’t enough to say that Rockefeller and Standard Oil acted in surreptitious ways to undermine competitive refiners and other industry players. We need to be shown the skullduggery that produced this great wealth for him and his company and that squashed his competitors.
I read ‘Taking on the Trusts’ because I’m interested in the question of business ethics in a capitalistic, consumerist society where we are being fed the idea that successful businessmen are those that ‘win’ and become enormously wealthy. Rockefeller’s reputation was damaged by Tarbell but not destroyed. His riches and the business ideology that promotes greed, money and power won out over courage, honesty, fairness and a responsibility for the general welfare. The proof? His grandson, Nelson Rockefeller, ended up only a step away from the Presidency.
But there is only a single chapter, ten pages on her investigation into Rockefeller and it barely scratches the surface. This is an important story too that needs thorough and painstaking explanation. It isn’t enough to say that Rockefeller and Standard Oil acted in surreptitious ways to undermine competitive refiners and other industry players. We need to be shown the skullduggery that produced this great wealth for him and his company and that squashed his competitors.
I read ‘Taking on the Trusts’ because I’m interested in the question of business ethics in a capitalistic, consumerist society where we are being fed the idea that successful businessmen are those that ‘win’ and become enormously wealthy. Rockefeller’s reputation was damaged by Tarbell but not destroyed. His riches and the business ideology that promotes greed, money and power won out over courage, honesty, fairness and a responsibility for the general welfare. The proof? His grandson, Nelson Rockefeller, ended up only a step away from the Presidency.
April 10, 2019
I don't know - Ida Tarbell may now be first in-line (ahead of Nellie Bly, reporter) for my all time heroine! What an amazing, dynamic woman. This book reads like someone telling the story of today's social and economic disruptions - except it's about Standard Oil.
If you were ever muddled about the "Progressive Era", this book will clear all those cobwebs. The book starts off slow with the back and forth between Tarbell's and Rockefeller's early childhood but it really picks up steam as it goes into their professional careers. There's lots of wonderful background on McClure's magazine as well as the Muckrakers. Loved this book.
If you were ever muddled about the "Progressive Era", this book will clear all those cobwebs. The book starts off slow with the back and forth between Tarbell's and Rockefeller's early childhood but it really picks up steam as it goes into their professional careers. There's lots of wonderful background on McClure's magazine as well as the Muckrakers. Loved this book.
March 4, 2010
This book took a topic that I had next to no familiarity with and made it a page-turner. To be honest, I definitely "judged this book by its cover" and figured that this would be an educational but dry read, worthwhile because of its information but not necessarily good for much entertainment value. I am glad to say that this was not true at all, as Weinberg was very good at intertwining the stories of Tarbell and Rockefeller through narrative and alternating chapters about his subjects. I found the information about Rockefeller's early life especially interesting. This book really brought life to all those memories in the back of my mind about trust-busting and muckraking that I learned back in junior high school.
It should be noted that the subject matter is still very pertinent in modern America, as there are still many incredibly powerful corporations in existence that have spawned a lot of journalistic work, and one can only imagine what Tarbell would be writing were she still alive today.
Full disclosure: I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
It should be noted that the subject matter is still very pertinent in modern America, as there are still many incredibly powerful corporations in existence that have spawned a lot of journalistic work, and one can only imagine what Tarbell would be writing were she still alive today.
Full disclosure: I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
February 19, 2015
This is a highly readable, dual biography of Ida Tarbell, the path-breaking journalist whose investigative reporting led to the Supreme Court-ordered break-up of the Standard Oil trust, and John D. Rockefeller, the fascinating and ethically flawed business genius. The focus is on Tarbell, as it should be given the abundance of Rockefeller information available. Tarbell professionalized reporting and strove to be fair in her assessment of Rockefeller, Standard Oil, as well as other of her investigative pieces on tariffs, Napoleon and Lincoln.
January 20, 2013
Well written, good information. Overall very good... could have had a little bit more, especially toward the end in proving how Tarbell's journalism effected change of policy and restructuring of law. It was good for the length and very informative though, definitely a good story, especially about Ida Tarbell's life and coming to be as a journalist.
September 10, 2011
A must read for any women (and men) who are interested in the roots of women's role in investigative journalism. Ida Tarbell was ahead of her time and did not back down. Inspirational piece of history.
December 25, 2018
Author Steve Weinberg is a fraud—and all readers of Taking on the Trust: How Ida Tarbell Brought Down John D. Rockerfeller and Standard Oil will be forever grateful that he is! Ostensibly a “dual biography” of dogged journalist Ida Tarbell and stealthy monopolist John D. Rockerfeller, Steinberg’s book is an immensely greater literary treat. Even his admission in the preface that “this book is a hybrid of biography and dramatic narrative” is a vast and humble understatement.
Weinberg admirably fulfills the duties of any self-respecting biographer by efficiently packaging the cradle-to-grave lives of Tarbell and Rockerfeller into a compact 300 pages. But along the way, Taking on the Trust: How Ida Tarbell Brought Down John D. Rockerfeller and Standard Oil is a treasure trove of historical events and memorable people spanning over eighty years of the tail-end of the nineteenth century, and the birth of the twentieth. And, as only good authors do, Weinberg’s magnificent book has spurred additional biographies to this reviewer’s to-read list—on Samuel McClure, Andrew Carnegie, and Henry Flagler, to name but three.
In alternating chapters, Weinberg relates the lives of Tarbell and Rockerfeller as seemingly parallel trajectories. The parallel narratives turn out to be a masterful reader teaser, for it builds dramatic tension for an inevitable “collision course.” Surprisingly, Tarbell and Rockerfeller share certain positive characteristics: they are both of a determined nature, unfailingly completing whatever task they begin; they are perfectionists in all undertakings; and they shun the limelight, preferring their accomplishments to quietly testify for their reputations.
However, they put these common characteristics to work in their respective life endeavors in very different ways. Ida Tarbell becomes something of a journalist by accident. Once discovered though, she works assiduously to hone her talents. She is arguably an early pioneer of what is now known as investigative journalism, and current standards probably derive from her practices in the late 1870s. For example, at a time when reporters readily accepted at face value the first, single instance of evidence, Tarbell’s diligent efforts “to determine veracity became her trademark decades before other journalists adopted the practice,” says Weinberg. Before Tarbell’s exposé on Rockerfeller and Standard Oil, she turned out brilliant biographies of Napoleon and Lincoln, relentlessly searching for—and finding—original, hitherto unreported material.
For all Rockerfeller’s predatory business practices, he was a steadfast, lifelong philanthropist. He also had a mania for operational efficiency and meticulous bookkeeping. Not a single penny of his vast fortune was ever unaccounted for. In one way, it was his impatience with, and intolerance for others’ willingness to accept “good enough” rather than “perfect” performance that caused him to swallow up under-performing businesses and convert them into models of commercial success.
Though it took years, Tarbell’s 1904, two-volume epic, The History of the Standard Oil Company, was critical to the dismantling of Rockerfeller’s massive, money-making empire into smaller organizations, such as Exxon and Mobil Oil. Weinberg’s recounting of the Tarbell-Rockerfeller collision is brilliant, deeply interesting, beautifully structured, and perfectly paced.
Weinberg admirably fulfills the duties of any self-respecting biographer by efficiently packaging the cradle-to-grave lives of Tarbell and Rockerfeller into a compact 300 pages. But along the way, Taking on the Trust: How Ida Tarbell Brought Down John D. Rockerfeller and Standard Oil is a treasure trove of historical events and memorable people spanning over eighty years of the tail-end of the nineteenth century, and the birth of the twentieth. And, as only good authors do, Weinberg’s magnificent book has spurred additional biographies to this reviewer’s to-read list—on Samuel McClure, Andrew Carnegie, and Henry Flagler, to name but three.
In alternating chapters, Weinberg relates the lives of Tarbell and Rockerfeller as seemingly parallel trajectories. The parallel narratives turn out to be a masterful reader teaser, for it builds dramatic tension for an inevitable “collision course.” Surprisingly, Tarbell and Rockerfeller share certain positive characteristics: they are both of a determined nature, unfailingly completing whatever task they begin; they are perfectionists in all undertakings; and they shun the limelight, preferring their accomplishments to quietly testify for their reputations.
However, they put these common characteristics to work in their respective life endeavors in very different ways. Ida Tarbell becomes something of a journalist by accident. Once discovered though, she works assiduously to hone her talents. She is arguably an early pioneer of what is now known as investigative journalism, and current standards probably derive from her practices in the late 1870s. For example, at a time when reporters readily accepted at face value the first, single instance of evidence, Tarbell’s diligent efforts “to determine veracity became her trademark decades before other journalists adopted the practice,” says Weinberg. Before Tarbell’s exposé on Rockerfeller and Standard Oil, she turned out brilliant biographies of Napoleon and Lincoln, relentlessly searching for—and finding—original, hitherto unreported material.
For all Rockerfeller’s predatory business practices, he was a steadfast, lifelong philanthropist. He also had a mania for operational efficiency and meticulous bookkeeping. Not a single penny of his vast fortune was ever unaccounted for. In one way, it was his impatience with, and intolerance for others’ willingness to accept “good enough” rather than “perfect” performance that caused him to swallow up under-performing businesses and convert them into models of commercial success.
Though it took years, Tarbell’s 1904, two-volume epic, The History of the Standard Oil Company, was critical to the dismantling of Rockerfeller’s massive, money-making empire into smaller organizations, such as Exxon and Mobil Oil. Weinberg’s recounting of the Tarbell-Rockerfeller collision is brilliant, deeply interesting, beautifully structured, and perfectly paced.
March 28, 2025
Steve Weinberg’s book shines a light on an important aspect of American democracy- a free press, through investigative journalism, uncovering corrupt business practices. It’s all the more important because TAKING ON THE TRUST is about the first female muckraker, Ida Tarbell, who set a standard for all investigative journalists in the future. She was a groundbreaker in the late 1800s and into the 1900s when ground surely needed to be broken. However, the book falls short because it fails to detail the investigative technics and style used by Tarbell. The book is long on biographical detail about Tarbell and Rockefeller, while not focusing enough, in my opinion, on her investigative reporting. The book could have been written as a thriller, because taking down Rockefeller, or at least denting his mighty thick armor, was a thrilling story. But the thrill got lost in the dense background story. However, the book, published in 2008, is now more important than ever - with our free press and the American democracy we have known for 250 years in peril.
July 6, 2022
Interwoven biographies of Ida Tarbell , a forgotten American hero, arguably the mother of "investigative journalism;" and John D Rockefeller, capitalist innovator of the trans-national corporation which paved the way for globalization, and thoughful philanthropist. The 2 clashed at the end of the Guilded Age, with repercussions relevant to the current times. Although Tarbell and Rockefeller each deserve a deeper dive, which can be found in dedicated biographies, this book can certainly be read as a stand alone...highly recommended.
October 15, 2022
had to read this for Journalism 150 - Ida Tarbell is a force though and she singlehandedly defaced the Rockefeller name and all of his oil-smeared, greedy, capitalist glory (and she was probably a lesbian, so. points for that.).
December 10, 2009
Steve Weinberg writes a compelling dual biography of two excellent persons from history. The way in which the book is written was delightful to read. I can't think of a better historical book that I've ever read.
The lives of John D. Rockefeller and Ida M. Tarbell are so intertwined that the author couldn't write about Tarbell without including much of Rockefeller's life as well. Weinberg points this out in his preface. At first, I was a little daunted by that statement-- Rockefeller is as intimidating in text as he probably was back at the turn of the last century. Because his name is well known and his legacy is so well documented, I thought he would dominate the book. I was wrong.
There is a lot about Rockefeller in this book, but it's less about John D. Rockefeller the businessman and more about who he was behind-the-scenes. I was impressed with the attention to his personal life, without the author over-doing the business side of Rockefeller. I was also impressed with the smooth transitions between Rockefeller and Tarbell's lives. It was so seamlessly written that it emphasized the intertwining of their lives. Fantastic!
Truthfully, aside from one of the 1603 historical notecards I had to write one summer for my high school AP US History class, I'd never really heard of Ida Tarbell until I read this book. It was interesting to see WHO she was... and to learn that her life would also give me cause to reflect upon my own.
Ida is truly a pioneer during a time of much change. You learn about who she was and how she got there through this biography. Saying that alone doesn't do this book justice. You really get a glimpse of Ms. Tarbell-- her true character. It's almost like reading about an ancestor of my own because of the way her life is written. Truly, Weinberg did a fantastic job capturing her character!
I was really impressed with the detail and depth the author put into his biography without bogging it down with a lot of "facts". Weinberg tells a STORY and it's a very compelling one too.
This is NOT dry reading. This book is rich with entertaining history. It was a joy to read, and I'm sorry I didn't finish reading it sooner. (A pesky cold had me sleeping a lot more than reading.)
I honestly can't think of any negatives reguarding this book... the writing was delightful, the book flowed smoothly and it really was a treasure to read. I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a good biography of either Tarbell or Rockefeller.
To Meet FTC Guidelines, I'm disclosing that I won this book-- for free-- VIA Goodreads First Reads.
The lives of John D. Rockefeller and Ida M. Tarbell are so intertwined that the author couldn't write about Tarbell without including much of Rockefeller's life as well. Weinberg points this out in his preface. At first, I was a little daunted by that statement-- Rockefeller is as intimidating in text as he probably was back at the turn of the last century. Because his name is well known and his legacy is so well documented, I thought he would dominate the book. I was wrong.
There is a lot about Rockefeller in this book, but it's less about John D. Rockefeller the businessman and more about who he was behind-the-scenes. I was impressed with the attention to his personal life, without the author over-doing the business side of Rockefeller. I was also impressed with the smooth transitions between Rockefeller and Tarbell's lives. It was so seamlessly written that it emphasized the intertwining of their lives. Fantastic!
Truthfully, aside from one of the 1603 historical notecards I had to write one summer for my high school AP US History class, I'd never really heard of Ida Tarbell until I read this book. It was interesting to see WHO she was... and to learn that her life would also give me cause to reflect upon my own.
Ida is truly a pioneer during a time of much change. You learn about who she was and how she got there through this biography. Saying that alone doesn't do this book justice. You really get a glimpse of Ms. Tarbell-- her true character. It's almost like reading about an ancestor of my own because of the way her life is written. Truly, Weinberg did a fantastic job capturing her character!
I was really impressed with the detail and depth the author put into his biography without bogging it down with a lot of "facts". Weinberg tells a STORY and it's a very compelling one too.
This is NOT dry reading. This book is rich with entertaining history. It was a joy to read, and I'm sorry I didn't finish reading it sooner. (A pesky cold had me sleeping a lot more than reading.)
I honestly can't think of any negatives reguarding this book... the writing was delightful, the book flowed smoothly and it really was a treasure to read. I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a good biography of either Tarbell or Rockefeller.
To Meet FTC Guidelines, I'm disclosing that I won this book-- for free-- VIA Goodreads First Reads.
December 17, 2013
This book crossed my desk at a moment when I didn't have anything on hand to read. The topic provided a modicum of interest to me and so I waded into it. As a biography, and a dual biography at that, it is adequate, if not inspirational. If you take into account the subtitles of the book, "The Epic Battle of Ida Tarbell and John D Rockefeller, How an Investigative Journalist Brought Down Standard Oil" it falls woefully short.
The author presents a standard origin narrative for both subjects and does a decent job of weaving them together through their mutual interest in the oil producing regions of Western Pennsylvania. Their combined life stories seem to drag out interminably. I kept waiting for when the "Epic Battle" to begin. Well over halfway into the book and there was no sign of when they would begin to throw down. Once the author did reach the point where Tarbell writes her expose of Standard Oil it was very anti-climatic. Vague passages about the reach and import of the work with little narrative to back it up, and very little detailed description of the unethical and/or illegal practices that Tarbell uncovered.
The author's narrative is fine and he does a great deal of research to attempt to uncover Tarbell's motivations and thoughts at various points in her life. The writing is adequate, but I did find myself forcing myself to finish the book rather than move on to the next book on my list.
The author's note at the end states that the book started off as a simple biography of Tarbell. I would argue that that's exactly what he accomplished. This book gives little insight into the life of Rockefeller or the details of the anti-trust sentiments of the late 19th and early 20th Centuries. In the end I would have been interested in more of the history surrounding the events, rather than a straight biography.
The author presents a standard origin narrative for both subjects and does a decent job of weaving them together through their mutual interest in the oil producing regions of Western Pennsylvania. Their combined life stories seem to drag out interminably. I kept waiting for when the "Epic Battle" to begin. Well over halfway into the book and there was no sign of when they would begin to throw down. Once the author did reach the point where Tarbell writes her expose of Standard Oil it was very anti-climatic. Vague passages about the reach and import of the work with little narrative to back it up, and very little detailed description of the unethical and/or illegal practices that Tarbell uncovered.
The author's narrative is fine and he does a great deal of research to attempt to uncover Tarbell's motivations and thoughts at various points in her life. The writing is adequate, but I did find myself forcing myself to finish the book rather than move on to the next book on my list.
The author's note at the end states that the book started off as a simple biography of Tarbell. I would argue that that's exactly what he accomplished. This book gives little insight into the life of Rockefeller or the details of the anti-trust sentiments of the late 19th and early 20th Centuries. In the end I would have been interested in more of the history surrounding the events, rather than a straight biography.
August 17, 2017
I found the information about Rockefeller's early life and family of origin (upstate New Yorkers--he grew up in Richford!!!! I have driven through Richford probably a hundred times and I didn't know that.) Also I didn't know that what we call muck-raking was started by one journalist working for one magazine, a woman, and that she had grown up in a family whose personal fortunes were profoundly negatively impacted by Rockefeller's monopolistic actions. I also didn't know about Rockefeller's behavior later in his life. The stories of these two lives are pivotal in American history and though I found it dry and a slow read, I'm so glad to know about these two extraordinary people and the historic confluence of their lives.
January 21, 2016
I got this book due to its relevance to Political Economy, which is a sub-field of Political Science. However, I was disappointed as it is so dragging. Providing a biographical reference to the protagonists is fine, but this one is so tedious. Considering that I am reading other books for my master's degree in Political Science, I decided to cut short my reading of this book and focus on my required readings, while moving to other books in my list for my own leisure. I will try to give this a second pass when I have read the others in my list.
February 10, 2013
A good introduction to some of the basics of modern life - massive corporate monopolies and journalism. Unfortunately, the past 100 years have been very good for the monopolies and less good for the journalists. Ida Tarbell is a fascinating hero and her measured criticism, based in documented fact should still resonate today.
June 16, 2014
Terrific telling of a story that resonates for our time - dogged investigative journalism can expose the nefarious, and often illegal activities of plutocrats and the corporations they exploit to concentrate wealth and power in the hands of a few, at the expense of their employees, consumers, voters, and the general public.
August 3, 2014
A bit dry in spots but overall good. I am fascinated by strong, independent women who move beyond gender and cultural roles. Ida Tarbell became the first investigative journalist in the late 1800's, early 1900's. Amazing.
November 13, 2012
Part biography, this book is really more about Tarbell's battle with John D. Rockefeller and how she forever changed the public perception of the man. Well worth a look.
June 23, 2013
Great story about investigative journalism at its infancy.... Also a good US History lesson during the Second Industrial Revolution. Well written - A breezy non-fiction story.
August 3, 2016
At its peak, Standard Oil of New Jersey was the single most powerful company in the world, producing over 90% of the refined oil sold in the United States. And because Standard Oil was involved at every step, from discovery and extraction to refining and distribution, it could control the flow of money with absolute discretion, often adjusting its prices and payments to drive out the few competitors who remained standing against them. According to Eliot Jones, who wrote about Standard Oil in 1922, "In 1904 there were some seventy-five independent refiners all told. The total output of these companies was less than that of either the Bayonne or the Philadelphia works of the Standard Oil Company."[1] In other words, one arm of Standard Oil could produce just as much oil as every single non-Standard refinery combined--a clear indication that something was wrong.
Standard Oil's unprecedented success also meant unprecedented wealth for those who invested great sums of money in the company, and no one benefitted more from Standard Oil's monopolistic existence than its co-founder, chairman, and major shareholder, John D. Rockefeller.* Essentially retired from the company by 1897, Rockefeller remained the company's de facto CEO and its most public face, not to mention the richest man in the world at the time. (Adjusted for inflation, Rockefeller's wealth would today make him the richest man in history, valued somewhere between $300 and $650 billion, which is--conservatively--five times as rich as Bill Gates ever was. Rockefeller was also the world's first billionaire.) Rockefeller carried so much weight and was feared by so many that, investigation after investigation, he was able to avoid answering questions because of supposed lapses in his memory. These lapses were obvious fabrications, yet no elected official ever rose to challenge him.
Standard Oil dominated the oil business for decades, brushing aside legal and political challenges to its dynasty through bribes, bullying, and a thick network of connections. In 1904, however, an obscure investigative journalist named Ida Tarbell began researching the company and, in the process of courting interviews and gathering original documents, compiled a history that was thorough and damning; serialized over the course of two years, her findings were eventually published as a two-volume, 900-page book that today ranks as one of the most important works of nonfiction in American history. Seven years later, in 1911, the United States Supreme Court handed down a ruling against Standard Oil that proclaimed the company a monopoly and ordered it broken up. The ruling, based on the Sherman Act of 1890, ended the company's thirty-year reign, though it did so with an irony that is both biting and paradoxical in retrospect.
When Standard Oil eventually disassembled itself into 34 separate companies, an act that would supposedly encourage competition between not only those entities but also independent refineries that were otherwise too small by comparison, its major shareholder experienced a rapid expansion of his wealth, and all because he lost in court. The percentage of Standard Oil shares that Rockefeller owned suddenly became the percentage of shares he owned in every single one of the 34 new companies, propelling him into a stratosphere of wealth that was not only unprecedented but also unthinkable at the time. (As Steve Weinberg notes, Rockefeller's wealth "tripled, then quadrupled.") And while the one mammoth company was now a few dozen smaller ones, they remained outside of one another's zones to avoid competition--a sort of monopolized Frankenstein--for years.
In his opinion for the Supreme Court case, Justice John Harlan wrote that the American people would suffer if companies such as Standard Oil were allowed to continue unchallenged and unregulated, describing it as "the slavery that would result from aggregations of capital in the hands of a few individuals and corporations controlling, for their own profit and advantage exclusively, the entire business of the country, including the production and sale of the necessities of life." [2] Harlan's notion of enslavement wrought through business and industry could almost have been written today, and by someone warning the nation of the exact same possibilities--too much wealth in the hands of too few at the expense of too many. It is an argument that has fixed itself into our political discourse since the Great Recession of a few years ago, when phrases like "wealth gap," "income inequality," "the one percent," "redistribution of wealth," and "job creator" became grenades launched across the battlefield by both sides in a performance that had been staged more than a century earlier.
It's also ironic to note Harlan's use of the term "slavery" to describe the impact of consolidated wealth and monopolized industry on the rest of the country, since Harlan had come to be both respected and reviled for his standalone dissents in civil rights cases, when he would fight for the rights of African-Americans and escaped slaves while every single other justice wrote of non-white races with hatred, prejudice, and disgust. And while Harlan himself possessed racist tendencies and ideas not unlike those of his colleagues, his legacy as one of the most outspoken proponents of racial tolerance suggests that his choice of "slavery" in this context was far from coincidental. In his mind, the trust issue and the issue of slavery were one in the same: one person beholden to another. In this case, millions of Americans--people of every race, age, and gender--were forced to purchase a necessity without choice, and in doing so they lined the pockets of men who controlled the prices through unethical business practices.
Last year, more than a century after Harlan's opinion, "slavery" was employed yet again by a public figure in talking about money. This time, former vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin used the word in describing the United States' future indebtedness to countries like China, saying, "Our free stuff today is being paid for today by taking money from our children and borrowing from China. When that money comes due and, this isn’t racist, so try it, try it anyway, this isn’t racist, but it’s going to be like slavery when that note is due. Right? We are going to be beholden to a foreign master." When she was later asked to clarify her remarks, Palin said, "There is another definition of slavery and that is being beholden to some kind of master that is not of your choosing. And, yes, the national debt will be like slavery when the note comes due." [3]
In Palin's words we see hints of the very mindset Harlan was so passionately writing against. Two completely dichotomous individuals and careers, to be sure, but it is in this dialogue--divided over 100 years--that we see the opposing ideals that now dominate our national discussion on the topic of business and government, one that is rooted deeply in the story of Standard Oil and has been growing ever since. On one side we have those who believe that the American people must not be controlled by companies and industries--businesses--that operate without ethics, undermine their competition, remove the freedom of choice from consumers, fix prices, and amass unparalleled profits. On the other side are those who believe we must not suffer under a government that spends money it either doesn't have or garners unethically while simultaneously targeting businesses and business-owners who are achieving record success in a free-market system. Or, to reduce these argument to even greater platitudes, it is corporations versus government. One is seen as a force for good against the evils of the other. Unfortunately, discussions like this will never disappear from national discourse because the causes of such turbulent economics will never disappear: greed, vampiric competition, and a desire for ever-increasing profits. It's part of capitalism to want increased business, that is true, but this truth exposes a flaw in that same system--namely, that it depends on people to keep it fair for as many as possible, and far too often those in control of the system are more interested in themselves than the "many" out there.
In the decades since Rockefeller, much has changed about the American economy. Where Rockefeller was the first billionaire, there are now almost 500 such people in the United States. Where Standard Oil once raked in record profits, we see monthly reports celebrating when another company--Apple, ExxonMobil, Amazon.com--have surpassed that same benchmark. Even the story of Standard Oil's downfall has been distorted; the subtitle of Weinberg's book, "How Ida Tarbell Brought Down John D. Rockefeller and Standard Oil," is a misleading suggestion that Rockefeller and his company suffered because of Tarbell's expose, even though the records show otherwise, and all that Tarbell accomplished in the end was exposing corruption and leading to a company's charade dissolution, which are respectable accomplishments but far from the ones professed in textbooks and historical nonfiction. Similarly, competition is much more readily available than it was in Rockefeller's time, though we see the occasional suggestions that this reality may not exist for much longer. In the current fight over net neutrality, we see large media corporations attempting to change the rules to give themselves greater control over the internet, which will make it harder for small, independent companies to compete; at the same time, those very same media giants have staked out areas in the country where they can dominate the market without coming into direct contact with other giants. It's similar to Standard Oil both before and after their court-ordered dissolution, only now there is no Ida Tarbell to render their transgressions in print. Even worse, there is a public that seems disinterested in knowing the truth of the situation and unaware of how much a monopoly can damage their livelihoods--a lesson that was learned over a century ago before being quickly--and tragically--forgotten.
*As Steve Weinberg points out, Rockefeller encouraged all of his employees to reinvest in the company by buying stocks, though in no way did their profits match Rockefeller's.
1. Jones, Eliot. The Trust Problem in the United States. Macmillan & Co.: New York, 1922. 59. eBook (Questia).
2. Weinberg, Steve. Taking on the Trust: How Ida Tarbell Brought Down John D. Rockefeller and Standard Oil. W.W. Norton & Co.: New York, 2008. 255. Print.
3. Capehart, Jonathan. "Sarah Palin invokes slavery, inappropriately of course." washingtonpost.com. N.p. 15 November 2013. Web. 26 June 2014.
This review was originally published at There Will Be Books Galore.
Standard Oil's unprecedented success also meant unprecedented wealth for those who invested great sums of money in the company, and no one benefitted more from Standard Oil's monopolistic existence than its co-founder, chairman, and major shareholder, John D. Rockefeller.* Essentially retired from the company by 1897, Rockefeller remained the company's de facto CEO and its most public face, not to mention the richest man in the world at the time. (Adjusted for inflation, Rockefeller's wealth would today make him the richest man in history, valued somewhere between $300 and $650 billion, which is--conservatively--five times as rich as Bill Gates ever was. Rockefeller was also the world's first billionaire.) Rockefeller carried so much weight and was feared by so many that, investigation after investigation, he was able to avoid answering questions because of supposed lapses in his memory. These lapses were obvious fabrications, yet no elected official ever rose to challenge him.
Standard Oil dominated the oil business for decades, brushing aside legal and political challenges to its dynasty through bribes, bullying, and a thick network of connections. In 1904, however, an obscure investigative journalist named Ida Tarbell began researching the company and, in the process of courting interviews and gathering original documents, compiled a history that was thorough and damning; serialized over the course of two years, her findings were eventually published as a two-volume, 900-page book that today ranks as one of the most important works of nonfiction in American history. Seven years later, in 1911, the United States Supreme Court handed down a ruling against Standard Oil that proclaimed the company a monopoly and ordered it broken up. The ruling, based on the Sherman Act of 1890, ended the company's thirty-year reign, though it did so with an irony that is both biting and paradoxical in retrospect.
When Standard Oil eventually disassembled itself into 34 separate companies, an act that would supposedly encourage competition between not only those entities but also independent refineries that were otherwise too small by comparison, its major shareholder experienced a rapid expansion of his wealth, and all because he lost in court. The percentage of Standard Oil shares that Rockefeller owned suddenly became the percentage of shares he owned in every single one of the 34 new companies, propelling him into a stratosphere of wealth that was not only unprecedented but also unthinkable at the time. (As Steve Weinberg notes, Rockefeller's wealth "tripled, then quadrupled.") And while the one mammoth company was now a few dozen smaller ones, they remained outside of one another's zones to avoid competition--a sort of monopolized Frankenstein--for years.
In his opinion for the Supreme Court case, Justice John Harlan wrote that the American people would suffer if companies such as Standard Oil were allowed to continue unchallenged and unregulated, describing it as "the slavery that would result from aggregations of capital in the hands of a few individuals and corporations controlling, for their own profit and advantage exclusively, the entire business of the country, including the production and sale of the necessities of life." [2] Harlan's notion of enslavement wrought through business and industry could almost have been written today, and by someone warning the nation of the exact same possibilities--too much wealth in the hands of too few at the expense of too many. It is an argument that has fixed itself into our political discourse since the Great Recession of a few years ago, when phrases like "wealth gap," "income inequality," "the one percent," "redistribution of wealth," and "job creator" became grenades launched across the battlefield by both sides in a performance that had been staged more than a century earlier.
It's also ironic to note Harlan's use of the term "slavery" to describe the impact of consolidated wealth and monopolized industry on the rest of the country, since Harlan had come to be both respected and reviled for his standalone dissents in civil rights cases, when he would fight for the rights of African-Americans and escaped slaves while every single other justice wrote of non-white races with hatred, prejudice, and disgust. And while Harlan himself possessed racist tendencies and ideas not unlike those of his colleagues, his legacy as one of the most outspoken proponents of racial tolerance suggests that his choice of "slavery" in this context was far from coincidental. In his mind, the trust issue and the issue of slavery were one in the same: one person beholden to another. In this case, millions of Americans--people of every race, age, and gender--were forced to purchase a necessity without choice, and in doing so they lined the pockets of men who controlled the prices through unethical business practices.
Last year, more than a century after Harlan's opinion, "slavery" was employed yet again by a public figure in talking about money. This time, former vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin used the word in describing the United States' future indebtedness to countries like China, saying, "Our free stuff today is being paid for today by taking money from our children and borrowing from China. When that money comes due and, this isn’t racist, so try it, try it anyway, this isn’t racist, but it’s going to be like slavery when that note is due. Right? We are going to be beholden to a foreign master." When she was later asked to clarify her remarks, Palin said, "There is another definition of slavery and that is being beholden to some kind of master that is not of your choosing. And, yes, the national debt will be like slavery when the note comes due." [3]
In Palin's words we see hints of the very mindset Harlan was so passionately writing against. Two completely dichotomous individuals and careers, to be sure, but it is in this dialogue--divided over 100 years--that we see the opposing ideals that now dominate our national discussion on the topic of business and government, one that is rooted deeply in the story of Standard Oil and has been growing ever since. On one side we have those who believe that the American people must not be controlled by companies and industries--businesses--that operate without ethics, undermine their competition, remove the freedom of choice from consumers, fix prices, and amass unparalleled profits. On the other side are those who believe we must not suffer under a government that spends money it either doesn't have or garners unethically while simultaneously targeting businesses and business-owners who are achieving record success in a free-market system. Or, to reduce these argument to even greater platitudes, it is corporations versus government. One is seen as a force for good against the evils of the other. Unfortunately, discussions like this will never disappear from national discourse because the causes of such turbulent economics will never disappear: greed, vampiric competition, and a desire for ever-increasing profits. It's part of capitalism to want increased business, that is true, but this truth exposes a flaw in that same system--namely, that it depends on people to keep it fair for as many as possible, and far too often those in control of the system are more interested in themselves than the "many" out there.
In the decades since Rockefeller, much has changed about the American economy. Where Rockefeller was the first billionaire, there are now almost 500 such people in the United States. Where Standard Oil once raked in record profits, we see monthly reports celebrating when another company--Apple, ExxonMobil, Amazon.com--have surpassed that same benchmark. Even the story of Standard Oil's downfall has been distorted; the subtitle of Weinberg's book, "How Ida Tarbell Brought Down John D. Rockefeller and Standard Oil," is a misleading suggestion that Rockefeller and his company suffered because of Tarbell's expose, even though the records show otherwise, and all that Tarbell accomplished in the end was exposing corruption and leading to a company's charade dissolution, which are respectable accomplishments but far from the ones professed in textbooks and historical nonfiction. Similarly, competition is much more readily available than it was in Rockefeller's time, though we see the occasional suggestions that this reality may not exist for much longer. In the current fight over net neutrality, we see large media corporations attempting to change the rules to give themselves greater control over the internet, which will make it harder for small, independent companies to compete; at the same time, those very same media giants have staked out areas in the country where they can dominate the market without coming into direct contact with other giants. It's similar to Standard Oil both before and after their court-ordered dissolution, only now there is no Ida Tarbell to render their transgressions in print. Even worse, there is a public that seems disinterested in knowing the truth of the situation and unaware of how much a monopoly can damage their livelihoods--a lesson that was learned over a century ago before being quickly--and tragically--forgotten.
*As Steve Weinberg points out, Rockefeller encouraged all of his employees to reinvest in the company by buying stocks, though in no way did their profits match Rockefeller's.
1. Jones, Eliot. The Trust Problem in the United States. Macmillan & Co.: New York, 1922. 59. eBook (Questia).
2. Weinberg, Steve. Taking on the Trust: How Ida Tarbell Brought Down John D. Rockefeller and Standard Oil. W.W. Norton & Co.: New York, 2008. 255. Print.
3. Capehart, Jonathan. "Sarah Palin invokes slavery, inappropriately of course." washingtonpost.com. N.p. 15 November 2013. Web. 26 June 2014.
This review was originally published at There Will Be Books Galore.
December 13, 2020
TAKING ON THE TRUST is a highly readable dual biography of John D Rockefeller and Ida Tarbell, the "muckraking" reporter who exposed the unethical business practices of Rockefeller's creation, the Standard Oil Trust.
Rockefeller, the master of "commercial Machiavellianism" rose from poor beginnings (his father was a con man and philanderer) to become one of the wealthiest men in American history. A devout Baptist, he was a devoted family man who neither smoke nor drank, eschewed dancing, and never traveled on the Sabbath. But the business practices that made him an American icon and Standard a financial colossus included such questionable actions as demanding exclusive discounts and rebates from the railroads, stealing proprietary information from competitors through industrial espionage, artificially lowering prices to undersell and eliminate competitors, wooing top executives from other firms, and bribing government officials.
That Standard was also one of the first companies to have a public relations department can be attributed in large part to the insightful reporting of Ida Tarbell, one of the first investigative journalists. Born in the latter part of the nineteenth century when women couldn't vote and were generally expected to have no higher ambition than marriage and motherhood, Tarbell was fortunate enough to have educated parents who recognized her intellectual precociousness and supported her pursuit of an education. Her early literary efforts were in history, and she wrote popular and penetrating multipart biographies of Napoleon and Lincoln, among others. Because of her historian's approach to research, she used original sources whenever possible, always insisted on verifying facts with multiple sources, and later applied her disciplined technique to reporting. She tried as much as possible to give a balanced account of her subject, wrote in a readable style, explained difficult concepts in a comprehensible manner, and used a narrative technique in her articles, the better to engage the reader. Aside from bringing about the the breakup of at least one big monopoly by engendering public outrage at Rockefeller's business practices, she laid the foundation for what we now know as investigative journalism.
Rockefeller, the master of "commercial Machiavellianism" rose from poor beginnings (his father was a con man and philanderer) to become one of the wealthiest men in American history. A devout Baptist, he was a devoted family man who neither smoke nor drank, eschewed dancing, and never traveled on the Sabbath. But the business practices that made him an American icon and Standard a financial colossus included such questionable actions as demanding exclusive discounts and rebates from the railroads, stealing proprietary information from competitors through industrial espionage, artificially lowering prices to undersell and eliminate competitors, wooing top executives from other firms, and bribing government officials.
That Standard was also one of the first companies to have a public relations department can be attributed in large part to the insightful reporting of Ida Tarbell, one of the first investigative journalists. Born in the latter part of the nineteenth century when women couldn't vote and were generally expected to have no higher ambition than marriage and motherhood, Tarbell was fortunate enough to have educated parents who recognized her intellectual precociousness and supported her pursuit of an education. Her early literary efforts were in history, and she wrote popular and penetrating multipart biographies of Napoleon and Lincoln, among others. Because of her historian's approach to research, she used original sources whenever possible, always insisted on verifying facts with multiple sources, and later applied her disciplined technique to reporting. She tried as much as possible to give a balanced account of her subject, wrote in a readable style, explained difficult concepts in a comprehensible manner, and used a narrative technique in her articles, the better to engage the reader. Aside from bringing about the the breakup of at least one big monopoly by engendering public outrage at Rockefeller's business practices, she laid the foundation for what we now know as investigative journalism.
February 1, 2018
This highly readable account follows the life of journalist Ida Tarbell and the parallel trajectory of her primary subject, J.D. Rockefeller. As Rockefeller's Standard Oil crushed small producers and expanded its octopus-like reach, Tarbell was honing her skill as one of the country's first investigative reporters. At the turn of the last century, when she turned her full attention to Standard Oil, she produced an account that was widely read and credited with leading to the break-up of the trust. Weinberg is former director of Investigative Reporters & Editors, and for those now looking to the press as one of the last hopes for saving our democracy from our modern oligarchs, this story is of particular interest. The life of Ida Tarbell also serves as a reminder of the human cost that journalists pay on behalf of those of us who depend on their work. If you want to read one book about her, this is the one I'd recommend.
August 11, 2020
Informative, engaging, accessible. Weinberg explains the wild nature prevalent in the early days of the oil industry. There was an anything goes mentality when wells were first struck around Titusville in western PA. Ida Tarbell's father eked out a living as an independent oil driller; in this world she witnessed how the unregulated industry devastated the environment. Weinberg also tells of Rockefeller's childhood and youth - moving from town to town, his unfaithful father scheming, cheating, and finally abandoning the family outside Cleveland. Similar humble beginnings, religious values, and hard work were shared by the two subjects. The author provides deep insight into the oil trust and the beginnings of investigative journalism without bogging the reader down with minutiae.
*Recommended for students of journalism, economics, history, and anyone looking for a quick and good biography.
*Recommended for students of journalism, economics, history, and anyone looking for a quick and good biography.
July 29, 2018
Tariffs, corruption, environmental destruction, overzealous oligarchs who hoard and build their power by squeezing from others and then scattering the crumbs down to us through public works. It might sound like the 21st century United States, but this story is about the late nineteenth and early 20th century. I've been reading and researching Ida Tarbell and this book is not only an invaluable resource but also an interesting read. I like the author's use of a "dual" biography. The juxtaposition sets the stage for Tarbell's takedown of Standard Oil by telling both her life story as well as John D. Rockefeller--who was where doing what and when. It gives a bigger picture of America in the late nineteenth, early twentieth centuries.
Oh, where is our Teddy Roosevelt? Ida once described Roosevelt as a "boy on skates." He gave her the term, "muckraker."
Oh, where is our Teddy Roosevelt? Ida once described Roosevelt as a "boy on skates." He gave her the term, "muckraker."
May 31, 2023
An interesting read (or in my case, listen as I used the audioversion). This is a focused biography of pioneer investigative journalist Ida Tarbell, concentrating on her investigation of Standard Oil and John D. Rockefeller. The book weaves biographical information of both Tarbell and Rockefeller together, as well as interesting history about early oil production and magazine publishing.
There is a lot of territory to cover in this book and Weinberg does a great job of weaving all these threads together into an entertaining and education read.
There is a lot of territory to cover in this book and Weinberg does a great job of weaving all these threads together into an entertaining and education read.
September 17, 2018
The book spends 200 pages on background and biography before actually delving into Tarbell's expose and conflict the Standard Oil. For all the coverage of the people involved, it still felt like the book didn't do much to actually lay out the nature of Standard Oil's monopoly, Gilded Age politics, and professional women of the time. Everything felt like it needed way more in depth explanation, and it really lacked for direct quotes and footnotes.
January 19, 2019
I had heard of Ida Tarbell I’m sure at some point as the name is familiar, but I wouldn’t have been able to tell you what she was famous for which is a shame. I’m glad I read this book because Tarbell is an amazingly radical woman for her time who had no qualms about taking on the titan, John D. Rockefeller. I also didn’t realize she came from a region so close to my hometown of Erie, Pa. Regardless, the book got a little dull for me towards the end—at least as an audiobook.
July 6, 2022
Warning this is a bias review because I am fascinated and feel a strong connection to Ida Tarbell for numerous reasons. Tarbell is such an important and interesting figure in US history (this is not what we have in common) and should be much more renowned considering her significance. As monopolies are still very much a concern and battle, a significant amount can be learned from her. At times, the book can feel a bit heavy but all in all very worthwhile and important.
July 30, 2021
A highly engaging dual biography of an investigative journalist and oil monopolist that page-turns like a thriller.
I did not have high hopes for this when I plucked it off the shelf at a used bookstore, but I am happy to report I underestimated the writing.
The book is in fact quite readable, just the right length, and leaves you feeling really ~informed~ after each chapter.
I did not have high hopes for this when I plucked it off the shelf at a used bookstore, but I am happy to report I underestimated the writing.
The book is in fact quite readable, just the right length, and leaves you feeling really ~informed~ after each chapter.
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May 26, 2024Interwoven biographies of Ida Tarbell (forgotten American hero, arguably the mother of what today is called "investigative journalism") and John D Rockefeller (the father of the development of trans-national corporations which paved the way for globalization). The two intersected during the Guilded Age at the turn of the 19th to 20th centuries
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