Would You Rather Be An Average Person Today or a Billionaire 100 Years Ago?

History Unplugged Podcast

History Unplugged

Society & Culture, History

4.2 • 3.7K Ratings

🗓️ 25 August 2017

⏱️ 10 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

It's good to be as rich as a Rockefeller. John—the patriarch of the family—rose from a lowly Ohioan bookkeeper to the leader of Standard Oil, which owned 90 percent of America's petroleum until it was broken up by the Sherman Anti-Trust Act in 1911. He was the world's first billionaire, owning mansions in New York, Florida, and Ohio, along with several golf golf courses. But was all that money really all that great without modern conveniences? Let's look in to the conveniences of an ultra-wealthy man 100 years ago and see how they compare to an average person today. TO HELP OUT THE SHOW Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one. Subscribe on iTunes or Stitcher

Transcript

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0:00.0	They were some of the most powerful men who've ever lived.
0:02.8	They waged war, forged peace, and altered the fates of billions of people,
0:06.9	and yet they were just as human, just as flawed as you and me.
0:10.6	They were the presidents of the United States, and they are the subjects of the history podcast
0:15.0	this American president. In each episode of this American president, we explore how flawed men
0:20.5	have managed this awesome responsibility. To listen now, go to pathanonpodcast.com or search
0:26.8	this American president on your favorite podcast platform.
0:30.0	The history of the Popes of Rome and Christianity reaches into nearly every aspect of history.
0:36.4	In the history of the papacy podcast, we step over the rope. We dive into discover more about the
0:42.6	people events and background that define the influence of the Popes of Rome and church not only
0:48.0	on the west, but the world. To start listening now, go to pathanonpodcast.com or search for
0:55.8	history of the papacy on your favorite podcast platform.
1:02.8	Welcome to the history unplugged podcast. The unscripted show that celebrates unsung heroes,
1:09.4	Mythbust's historical lies, and rediscoveres the forgotten stories that changed our world.
1:16.0	I'm your host, Scott Rank.
1:19.1	Today's question is this. Would you like to be an average person today or a billionaire 100 years ago?
1:30.9	Ooh, very interesting question. While a while ago, I read a wonderful book by Ron Churno,
1:37.1	called Titan about the life of John Rockefeller, who was by most historical accounts,
1:41.6	the world's first billionaire. That gives us a good way to look at these different issues.
1:47.6	Now, this question has been taken up by many people. One of them is Donald Boudreau,
1:52.3	who writes in fee.org about monetary policy. And he actually takes up this issue,
1:57.8	and he argues that the average American today is richer than John Rockefeller.
	...

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