I recently finished reading a book about Alexander Cassatt, head of the Pennsylvania Railroad during its largest expansions and one of the most powerful men in the US at the time. In it, he is portrayed as holding many beliefs that today would qualify him as rather left leaning - pro-union, anti-corruption, and pro-regulation. (I suspect this characterization may be biased)
During this era (late 19th/early 20th century US), were there powerful industrial figures promoting ideologies other than unfettered capitalism? Did they get any traction in government? Why did their voices (if extant) have so little effect?
As a specific example, I’d be interested if anyone could provide more information on Andrew Carnegie. When he was a businessman did he have philanthropic leanings? Did those develop after he sold what would become US Steel?
It would certainly depend on what you mean by “left leaning,” but I think Henry Ford might be a surprising addition to your list.
After he made his initial fortune, Ford began endorsing some rather interesting policies considered liberal for their time. Ford proposed paying his employees $5/day in 1915 dollars, which is quite a bit. Eventually he proposed the 40 hour/week work week. And at some points he even endorsed a sort of social ministry inside Ford that helped maintain worker sobriety as well being (although it was ultimately disbanded and he disavowed it later). However, Ford adamantly disapproved of labor unions, and many of his social programs directly benefited Ford by allowing him to retain the absolute best talent.
Ironically, One of the most liberal things about Ford though is that after he made a sufficient amount of money he decided to stop paying dividends on stocks and use the money to reinvest in Ford to expand and create more jobs in a way he framed as a major social welfare program. This led some of his premier investors, the Dodge bros., to sue him, and ultimately led to the Supreme Court of Michigan creating the very conservative concept of shareholder supremacy (that is, businesses exist to make money for shareholders) which prevailed in American law and business circles for a couple decades. Instead of admit losing, Ford bought out the dodge’s, giving them the seed money to found the dodge motor company.
Sources: Dodge v. Ford Motor Company, 204 Mich. 459, 170 N.W. 668 (Mich. 1919)
Ford, Henry; Crowther, Samuel (1922), My Life and Work
Nevins, Allan; Frank Ernest Hill (1954). Ford: The Times, The Man, The Company.