Burton W. Folsom

About the Author

Burton W. Folsom is a distinguished historian and professor emeritus of history at Hillsdale College, where he has taught for over three decades and inspired generations of students with his rigorous scholarship on American economic and political history. A leading voice in revisionist interpretations of the Gilded Age, Folsom challenges conventional narratives by highlighting the innovative spirit of entrepreneurs who built America's industrial might. His seminal work, The Myth of the Robber Barons: A New Look at the Rise of Big Business in America, debunks the caricatures of tycoons like John D. Rockefeller and Andrew Carnegie, portraying them as creators of wealth and progress rather than exploiters. Folsom's research draws on primary sources to illuminate the interplay between free enterprise and government policy, offering fresh perspectives on the foundations of modern capitalism. Beyond academia, he contributes to public discourse through lectures, op-eds, and affiliations with think tanks like the Foundation for Economic Education, advocating for limited government and economic liberty.