The Giving Game: Andrew Carnegie and the Evils of Wealth
The Kitchen Sisters Present
The Kitchen Sisters & Radiotopia
4.5 • 1.3K Ratings
🗓️ 20 January 2026
⏱️ 36 minutes
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Summary
The Gilded Age was a time of unparalleled wealth and prosperity in America—but it was also a time of staggering inequality, corruption, and unchecked power. Among its richest figures was Andrew Carnegie, the steel magnate who built his fortune on the backs of low-paid workers, only to give it away—earning him the nickname the Godfather of American Philanthropy. He didn’t just fund libraries and universities, he championed a philosophy: that it was the duty of the ultra-wealthy to serve the public good.
But, as it turns out, even philanthropy is a form of power. So, what exactly have wealthy philanthropists done with their power? We explore that question at the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, inside Carnegie’s former mansion. There, a board game called Philanthropy invites players to reimagine the connection between money and power—not by amassing wealth, but by giving it away.
Produced by The Smithsonian's Podcast — Sidedoor. With host and Senior Producer Lizzie Peabody. Featuring:
- Christina de León, Associate Curator of Latino Design at the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum
- Tommy Mishima, artist and co-creator (with Liam Lee) of the installation Game Room in Cooper Hewitt's triennial Making Home
- David Nasaw, author of the biography Andrew Carnegie
The Kitchen Sisters Present is produced by The Kitchen Sisters (Nikki Silva & Davia Nelson) with Nathan Dalton and Brandi Howell. Part of the Radiotopia network from PRX.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | RadioTopia. |
| 0:02.0 | Welcome to the Kitchen Sisters present. |
| 0:04.0 | From PRX. |
| 0:05.0 | We're the Kittron Sisters, Davia Nelson, and Nikki Silva. |
| 0:09.0 | Hey, it's Robin here from PRX. |
| 0:14.0 | And I want to tell you about a brand new show in the Radiotopia family, |
| 0:18.0 | an exciting partnership with our friends at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame |
| 0:21.2 | and fellow indie network talkhouse. It's called Music Makes Us, and it's hosted by cultural icon, |
| 0:28.4 | the legendary Kathleen Hanna, the frontwoman of Bikini Kill and La Tigra. She sits down with |
| 0:34.3 | revolutionary musicians like Shaka Khan, Olivia Rodrigo, and Haley Williams of Paramore |
| 0:39.4 | to speak about the things artists really want to talk about. |
| 0:43.2 | Perfect lyrics, unforgettable shows, treasured artifacts, and even snacks. |
| 0:48.8 | From the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Radiotopia and Talk House, |
| 0:52.9 | Music Makes Us. |
| 0:55.9 | Out now wherever you listen to podcasts. |
| 1:06.8 | It's 1895. You're in Pittsburgh, and Andrew Carnegie is scheduled to speak at the opening of the new Pittsburgh he'd funded. It's a celebration. The mayor is there. The city councilmen are there. The clergy is there. The richest people |
| 1:17.0 | in Pittsburgh are there. And Carnegie takes to the podium. |
| 1:22.0 | Amense applause. |
| 1:23.7 | Parnege talks about his vision for the future, a Pittsburgh filled with cultural institutions, |
| 1:29.3 | museums, music halls, libraries. |
| 1:32.3 | And in the far reaches of this throng that has gathered to hear him are representatives of the working people, the unions. And he says, and I know there are those among you who say I could have better used the money |
| 1:50.0 | that went into this building to raise your wages. |
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