Some updated figures... (the documentary was from 10 years ago)
All converted wealth figures based on 2010 dollar values (all estimates)
Vanderbilt ----> just over 170 billion
Carnegie -----> just shy of 300 billion
Rockefeller ---> slightly north of 650 billion
Again, everything is an estimate of what they possessed in today's values which is not necessarily adjusted for the rate of inflation. As it is, in any era of American history these persons would be wealthy.
Most of Morgan's figures are unreliable due to the variable methods of valuing the investments that he was part of and taking into accounts the volatile nature of the markets during the era. Still, he had bank (literally).
No, neither Justin Bieber or Brigit Mendler is close to this list.
Just a current stat to compare--Bill Gates is the richest person in the world with a net worth of $72.7 billion. It's crazy that Rockefeller has almost 9 times Bill Gates's amount of wealth.
ReplyDeleteTo first imagine that amount of wealth, one first has to put it into comparison to daily wages of an average laborer (non-farmer). Today a worker has a minimum wage of $72.50 (assuming a ten hour work day). It would take almost 8,700,000,000 days to earn as much money as John D. Rockefeller made in his life time. Food for thought...
ReplyDeleteFor all those who don't know, Bridgit Mendler is the star of Good Luck Charlie.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.google.com/search?q=bridgit+mendler+good+luck+charlie&safe=off&client=safari&rls=en&source=lnms&sa=X&ei=spd0UunaB8_0igLew4CYBg&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAA&biw=1223&bih=612&dpr=1
I gotta have my educational posts...