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robber baron
noun
- History/Historical. a noble who robbed travelers passing through his lands.
- a ruthlessly powerful U.S. capitalist or industrialist of the late 19th century considered to have become wealthy by exploiting natural resources, corrupting legislators, or other unethical means.
yvlog History and Origins
Origin of robber baron1
Example Sentences
“The transformation in executive compensation brought back the late nineteenth-century robber baron mindset of no-holds barred competition, individualism at the expense of institutions and community, and a zero-sum worldview in which those who ‘win’ by any means necessary become the toast of the town,” they write.
Indeed, skeptics sometimes associate geoengineering with supervillain behavior, like a famous episode of The Simpsons in which the robber baron Mr. Burns blocks the sun.
If we look at the robber baron era, there was outrage at the degree to which ultrawealthy people were directly engaging in politics and shaping outcomes and backing particular individuals who were winning and then passing policies that defended the wealth of these oligarchic figures.
During the segment, Stewart called Goldstein a “robber baron,” saying that he made his fortune off the high rent he charges at the mobile home parks he owns.
This is, after all, around the time, historian Matthew Josephson later explained, the term “robber baron” was coined.
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