David Rockefeller, grandson of the late 19th-century oil magnate John D. Rockefeller, visited UCSD’s Neurosciences Institute on Nov. 13 for a public interview with UCSD history professor Michael E. Parrish.
Sponsored by the Revelle Forum Lecture Series, the interview consisted of an informal conversation with Parrish to be broadcasted on UCSD-TV. The dialogue focused on Rockefeller’s autobiographical book, “”Memoirs,”” but the subsequent question-and-answer session touched upon topics ranging from a looming war in Iraq to the reconstruction of New York City after 9/11.
The original reason for building the World Trade Center was to stop an exodus of companies from lower Manhattan by convincing them to stay in the area, Rockefeller said.
“”What is needed [after Sept. 11] is a study of lower Manhattan today,”” he said. “”I suspect they will recommend combining new office space with more living space. Having a 24-hour-a-day community would make [Manhattan] stronger. It wouldn’t make sense to simply rebuild the towers.””
Other questions submitted by some of the about 120 audience members concerned Rockefeller’s repeated refusals to hold public office. Rockefeller was offered the post of secretary of the treasury by three different U.S. presidents, and was once offered the position of chairman of the Federal Reserve Board.
Rockefeller said he could effect change more effectively through the private sector than through the government.
“”I felt my job at Chase [Bank] would go on further,”” Rockefeller said. “”I would be able to do things through Chase that were broader, able to meet people in other parts of the world. To take four years out in public office was not in my best interest or the country’s.””
Rockefeller expressed concern about the disparity in incomes between the wealthy and the poor in the United States, but he was also optimistic about the state of the economy. He added that the Federal Reserve Board and the Treasury Department are taking “”appropriate measures”” regarding the current U.S. economic slump.
“”We need to find more employment, raising the income of the poor, not just lopping off what the rich have [with high taxes]. Incentives for people to make lots of money is why we do so well.””
Despite his decision not to accept public office, Rockefeller is no stranger to U.S. government leaders. Rockefeller’s brother, Nelson, was vice president under Gerald Ford, ran for president three times and occupied the New York governor’s seat from 1958 to 1973. His relationship with his brother was somewhat strained.
“”I disagreed with Nelson’s decision to divorce his first wife and then remarry quickly,”” Rockefeller said. “”But at no time did I not have a close working relationship with him. Had he been elected president, he would’ve done a very good job.””
During the Vietnam War, Rockefeller’s relationships with his children were also strained.
Rockefeller believed that “”if the communists took Vietnam, they would’ve taken Australia”” and eventually would have conquered other countries. His children were against the war.
Then in 1980, the children took Rockefeller and his wife on a weeklong vacation, which set a new tone for their relationship.
Rockefeller has owned and operated a number of ventures, often receiving criticism for his management decisions.
At one point, Rockefeller was criticized for selling New York’s Rockefeller Center to the Japanese in 1989.
“”Having a very responsible Japanese company own [the Rockefeller Center] would not be a bad thing for the country,”” he said.
Eventually, the Japanese company fell on hard times, and was forced to sell it back. Rockefeller tried to dissuade them, even going so far as to travel to Japan to speak with the company’s managers in person.
The interview ended with a question on the impending war in Iraq.
“”I was concerned at first that Bush was not talking with our allies,”” Rockefeller said. “”I’m glad to say that’s now changed substantially.””
One of the overarching themes of the discussion was the need for the United States to consider its role as a world leader when taking action in foreign affairs.
“”I feel sad that there isn’t a greater recognition of the American people that the world is one world,”” he said. “”And we play an important role in the U.N. and with other nations of the world.””