Nelson Rockefeller was one of the richest people of his time. He led a large family of tycoons, businessmen, and politicians. Nelson took an active part in the political life of the United States of America and exerted a significant influence on it.
His figure is still becoming the subject of various discussions and debates.
Youth
Nelson Rockefeller was born July 8, 1908 in Maine in a famous family. His grandfather was the legendary John Rockefeller. It was he who was engaged in the education of Nelson. Since childhood, the guy was fond of science and self-development. Graduated from school with good grades. After reaching adulthood, he became interested in architecture. Nelson wanted to devote his life to his favorite craft. But the family was against it.
A family
The Rockefeller family is the richest in the world. Almost all members have a huge fortune. A family is more like a community. Its oldest member is the head. The chapter makes important decisions and distributes obligations. Family business is closely connected between all participants. Therefore, Nelson’s grandfather could not allow him to become an architect, because he believed that creativity could not earn a lot of money. But there was another reason.
For the richest family, money did not play a major role. One of the most important points is influence. For example, an architect can have a great fortune thanks to his work, but he will not have any influence on public life. But oil tycoons or bankers are always closely associated with politics.
Carier start
Therefore, already in the 30s, Nelson Rockefeller began his banking career. He collaborates with banks in America, France, England. Pretty quickly becoming a successful financier. Its influence is spreading. At the same time, Nelson does not give up his passion for architecture. For several years, the banker has become a significant figure not only in the US market, but also in his family. Grandfather strongly supports him and prepares for leadership in the family after his death. Already at a relatively young age (as for a financier), Nelson Rockefeller appears more and more often in the front pages of the American press. Banker quotes are becoming popular among the people. For example, his dictum "This is my wall."
Rockefeller Wall
In the early 1930s, John Rockefeller decided to build a Rockefeller Center. A complex of buildings that would become a kind of family office. This was necessary to systematize and centralize family affairs. As the family tree grew larger every year, the range of activities increased. And so that the family acts as a whole, and the "center" was invented. Another function of this institution was to work with the public. Rockefellers have created several charitable foundations. Invested in science and social institutions. John chose his grandson to design the building to encourage his long-standing passion for architecture. Together with a group of engineers, Nelson Rockefeller created the center model, which was subsequently built. Nelson decided to hire the artist Diego Rivere to clad the exterior wall . His work has already become famous around the world.
But Diego was a supporter of extreme leftist views and, to put it mildly, did not like people like the Rockefellers. Therefore, in his work, he added one addition - the image of Lenin. Upon completion of the cladding, this news excited society. Left-wing activists admired Diego, who was able not only to “spit” in the face of the tycoon, but also get his money for it.
Nelson forced the artist to remove the image of the "Leader of the Peoples", but he refused to do so. Then the banker said in a rage: “This is my wall” - and ordered to destroy everything that Diego painted. The phrase leaked to the media and became a kind of proverb in the United States.
The beginning of political activity
By the age of 40, Nelson Rockefeller goes into politics. Using his connections and family influence, he quickly occupies one of the key positions in the Republican Party. He works as Deputy Minister under Eisenhower. Prior to that, he held various posts in the government of Roosevelt and Truman.
In the 60s, his political career was going up sharply. Nelson is elected Governor of New York. He was able to win a large number of fans among moderate Republicans. Expands its charity work. He tries to go further and appeals to the party leadership with a request to nominate his candidacy for the presidency, but every time he is denied this. In addition to fans, Nelson has a huge number of enemies. People of democratic, and especially left-wing, views believed that the fact of Rockefeller's high position in the political hierarchy is the personification of a corrupt oligarchic regime. Protests are taking place with the goal of tearing off the governor. It is for this reason that the Republicans did not dare to put forward the figure of a tycoon in the presidency.
Nelson Rockefeller: biography. Peak career
After that, he still managed to get a seat in the White House. On December 19, 1974, Rockefeller Nelson Aldrich was appointed US Vice President. His work has repeatedly caused a flurry of criticism. Proponents of conspiracy theories accused Nelson of working for supranational structures that allegedly seek control of the world. After 2 years, Nelson was at the center of a scandal.
In the United States, at that time, various pacifist organizations were on the rise. At one of the rallies, when the vice president spoke from the rostrum, hippies began to disrupt his speech. The politician drew attention to them and decided to make fun of what they answered him the same. The first could not stand Nelson Rockefeller. The photo in which he shows the crowd his middle finger has spread throughout the pages of all
American newspapers.