The Gospel Of Wealth

Use this activity to engage all types of learners, while requiring that they refer to and incorporate details from the text over the course of the activity.

“Debate: The Validity of Carnegie’s Argument in Contemporary Society”

In this activity, students will debate whether or not Carnegie’s argument is still valid in contemporary society.

Although philanthropy is a concept that contemporary society is familiar with, Carnegie’s suggestion to distribute excess wealth to charitable causes was a radical notion in the late 19th century. For this Activity, you will argue for or against the following point: Carnegie’s essay is still an applicable argument in contemporary society.

• First, you will be assigned which point that you will support (either “for” or “against”).
• Second, you will work with your group to form your argument cohesively, while also reflecting on the themes Duty and Moral Responsibility, The American Dream, and Capitalism and Inequality (please see your teacher for guidance on this).
• Third, you will practice your arguments with your group in a rehearsal. Be sure to consider any possible rebuttals that the other group may create.
• Fourth, participate in the debate with the opposing group.
• Finally, reflect on the success of the debate in a group discussion, discussing the strong and weak points in both groups.

Teaching Suggestion: This Activity invites students to consider the relevancy of Carnegie’s argument in contemporary society. Since the article’s publication over a century ago, there have been a variety of changes, arguments, theories, and debates regarding the American Dream, the correlation between Capitalism and Inequality, and the Duty and Responsibility of wealthy individuals to support lower-income and/or vulnerable populations. Furthermore, Carnegie’s essay begins with a series of assumptions related to the superiority of competition and individualism and the inferiority of communism, many of which would be challenged by contemporary authors, politicians, and social scientists today. Since Carnegie uses these assumptions as the foundation of his argument, each group has a plethora of material to work with, particularly in the research phase as they devise their argument. This teacher-facing resource provides guidance on how to have a debate in the classroom.