"Business leaders in the United States from about 1865 to 1900 were, on the whole, a set of avaricious1 rascals who habitually cheated and robbed investors and consumers, corrupted government, fought ruthlessly among themselves, and in general carried on predatory activities comparable to those of the robber barons of medieval Europe."
What is the author's point of view about these leaders of industry during the Second Industrial Revolution?
He felt that they had stolen their wealth through unethical activities and aggressive tactics.
He viewed them as shrewd opportunists who were able to find loopholes in the system.
He believed they had created their wealth by finding new ways to organize the US economy.
He saw them as innovative outlaws that operated outside of the system to bend the rules.