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[[Image:HenryFord.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Henry Ford next to a Model T car.]]

[[Image:HenryFord.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Henry Ford next to a Model T car.]]

'''Henry Ford''' (1863 – 1947) was the founder of the [[Ford Motor Company]] and of modern mass production and assembly line techniques.  His introduction in 1908 of the [[Model T]] Ford automobile revolutionized transportation and, indeed, American industry.  As sole owner of the Ford Company he became one of the richest and best-known people in the world.  He is credited with "[[Fordism]]," that is, the mass production of large numbers of inexpensive automobiles, coupled with high wages for his workers—notably the $5.00 a day pay scale adopted in 1914. Ford, though poorly educated, had a global vision, with consumerism as the key to peace. His intense commitment to lowering costs resulted in many technical and business innovations, including a franchise system that put a dealership in every city in North America, and in major cities on six continents. Ford left most of his vast wealth to the [[Ford Foundation]], but arranged for his family to permanently control the company after his death.

'''Henry Ford''' (1863 – 1947) was the founder of the [[Ford Motor Company]] and of modern mass production and assembly line techniques.  His introduction in 1908 of the [[Model T]] Ford automobile revolutionized transportation and, indeed, American industry.  As sole owner of the Ford Company he became one of the richest and best-known people in the world.  He is credited with "[[Fordism]]," that is, the mass production of large numbers of inexpensive automobiles, coupled with high wages for his workers—notably the $5.00 a day pay scale adopted in 1914. Ford, though poorly educated, had a global vision, with consumerism as the key to peace. His intense commitment to lowering costs resulted in many technical and business innovations, including a franchise system that put a dealership in every city in North America, and in major cities on six continents. Ford left most of his vast wealth to the [[Ford Foundation]], but arranged for his family to permanently control the company after his death.

==Early years==

==Early years==

== Ford's international business==

== Ford's international business==

Ford's philosophy was one of economic independence for the United States. His [[River Rouge Plant]] would become the world's largest industrial complex, even able to produce its own steel.  Ford's goal was to produce a vehicle from scratch without reliance on foreign trade. He believed in the global expansion of his company.  He believed that international trade and cooperation led to international peace, and used the assembly line process and production of the Model T to demonstrate it<ref>Watts 236-40</ref>  He opened Ford assembly plants in Britain and Canada in 1911, and soon became the biggest automotive producer in those countries.  In 1912, Ford cooperated with Agnelli of [[Fiat]] to launch the first Italian automotive assembly plants.  The first plants in Germany were built in the 1920s with the encouragement of [[Herbert Hoover]] and the Commerce department, which agreed with Ford's theory that international trade was essential to world peace.<ref>Wilkins</ref>  In the 1920s Ford also opened plants in Australia, India, and France, and by 1929, he had successful dealerships on six continents.  Ford experimented with a commercial rubber plantation in the Amazon jungle called "Fordlândia"; it was one of the few failures.  In 1929, Ford accepted [[Stalin]]'s invitation to build a model plant (NNAZ, today [[GAZ]]) at Gorky, a city later renamed [[Nizhny Novgorod]], and he sent American engineers and technicians to help set it up, including future labor leader [[Walter Reuther]].   

Ford's philosophy was one of economic independence for the United States. His [[River Rouge Plant]] would become the world's largest industrial complex, even able to produce its own steel.  Ford's goal was to produce a vehicle from scratch without reliance on foreign trade. He believed in the global expansion of his company.  He believed that international trade and cooperation led to international peace, and used the assembly line process and production of the Model T to demonstrate it<ref>Watts 236-40</ref>  He opened Ford assembly plants in Britain and Canada in 1911, and soon became the biggest automotive producer in those countries.  In 1912, Ford cooperated with Agnelli of [[Fiat]] to launch the first Italian automotive assembly plants.  The first plants in Germany were built in the 1920s with the encouragement of [[Herbert Hoover]] and the Commerce department, which agreed with Ford's theory that international trade was essential to world peace.<ref>Wilkins and Hill (1964)</ref>  In the 1920s Ford also opened plants in Australia, India, and France, and by 1929, he had successful dealerships on six continents.  Ford experimented with a commercial rubber plantation in the Amazon jungle called "Fordlândia"; it was one of the few failures.  In 1929, Ford accepted [[Stalin]]'s invitation to build a model plant (NNAZ, today [[GAZ]]) at Gorky, a city later renamed [[Nizhny Novgorod]], and he sent American engineers and technicians to help set it up, including future labor leader [[Walter Reuther]].   

The technical assistance agreement between Ford Motor Company, VSNH and the Soviet-controlled American Trading Organization (AMTORG) [http://www.pbs.org/redfiles/kgb/deep/kgb_deep_ref_detail.htm] (as purchasing agent) was concluded for nine years and signed in 1929. The Ford Motor Company worked to conduct business in any nation where the United States had peaceful diplomatic relations:

The technical assistance agreement between Ford Motor Company, VSNH and the Soviet-controlled American Trading Organization (AMTORG) [http://www.pbs.org/redfiles/kgb/deep/kgb_deep_ref_detail.htm] (as purchasing agent) was concluded for nine years and signed in 1929. The Ford Motor Company worked to conduct business in any nation where the United States had peaceful diplomatic relations:

== See also ==

==Bibliography==

*[[Entrepreneur]]

* Batchelor, Ray.  ''Henry Ford: Mass Production, Modernism and Design'' (1994).

* Nolan, Mary. ''Visions of Modernity: American Business and the Modernization of Germany'' (1994); [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=58971942 online from [[Questia]]]' also [http://www.amazon.com/Visions-Modernity-American-Business-Modernization/dp/0195070216/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1198975895&sr=1-1 excerpt and text search]

==References==

===Antisemitism ===

 

 

 

====notes====

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[[Category:Business People]]

[[Category:Business People]]