Final answer:
Andrew Carnegie's role as an industrial magnate led him to support philanthropy as a duty of the wealthy, while Samuel Gompers' position as a labor leader shaped his focus on advocating for workers' rights and improved labor conditions.
Step-by-step explanation:
The occupations of Andrew Carnegie and Samuel Gompers shaped their contrasting ideas on wealth and labor relations during the industrial era. Carnegie, an industrial tycoon and proponent of the Gospel of Wealth, believed that wealthy individuals like himself had a duty to society and should serve as benefactors to the less fortunate. His experiences with poverty led him to become a philanthropist, although some criticized him for maintaining his belief in social Darwinism and what they saw as a paternalistic attitude towards the less fortunate.
Conversely, Samuel Gompers, as a labor leader and founder of the American Federation of Labor (AFL), focused on improving conditions for workers. Gompers fought for higher wages and better working conditions, representing the interests of skilled laborers amid an industrial landscape where workers often faced exploitation and dangerous conditions. His occupation made him a champion for workers' rights and collective bargaining against the backdrop of wealth disparity and industrial growth.
The stark differences between Carnegie's capitalist-industrialist perspective and Gompers' pro-labor stance reflect the broader national debate over wealth, industry, and labor during the era.