in DiLorenzo's "How Capitalism Saved America", he claims that Rockefeller was this amazing capitalist who made fuels cheaper for everyone and his claims seem rather substantiated, but then I read other libertarian authors talk about his role in the creation of the FED and some other corporatist agendas. Is this just a case of a mixture between good and evil, or is one side wrong and the other right?
From what I understand, it's a mix of the good and the bad. As I discuss in http://wiki.mises.org/wiki/Standard_Oil, Standard Oil appears to actually be an efficient company and not the evil monopoly everyone thinks it was. However, it certainly was helped by both the tariffs and patent laws.
I have heard of his involvement with the Fed and a mixup between Standard Oil and the Nazis, but haven't actually read anything yet. I hope to do so soon.