What made America great was rugged individualism, risk-taking, and capitalism.  There was no  welfare system and no income tax for the first 125 years as capitalists improved the qualify of life ten-fold with domestic water systems and plumbing, electric lighting, the telephone, electric power with refrigeration and stoves, and fossil fuels for home heating and powering automobiles.  All because of who you call "The Robber Barrons." No good deed ever goes unpunished.  When we started to redistribute wealth  from those who earn it to those who don't, our progress regressed.  The only transfer of wealth that should happen is a good day's pay for a good day's work.