Confessions of an Economic Hit Man
With new material from the author "Economic hit men," John Perkins writes," are highly paid professionals who cheat countries around the globe out of trillions of dollars. Their tools include fraudulent financial reports, rigged elections, payoffs, extortion, sex, and murder. They play a game as old as Empire but one that has taken on terrifying dimensions during this time of globalization." John Perkins should know-he was an economic hit man for an international consulting firm that worked to convince developing countries to accept enormous loans and to funnel that money to U.S. corporations. Once these countries were saddled with huge debts, the American government and international aid agencies were able to request their "pound of flesh" in favors, including access to natural resources, military cooperation, and political support. Confessions of an Economic Hit Man is the story of one man's experiences inside the intrigue, greed, corruption and little-known government and corporate activities that America has been involved in since World War II, and which have dire consequences for the future of democracy and the world. Amazon.com Review Perkins writes that his economic projections cooked the books Enron-style to convince foreign governments to accept billions of dollars of loans from the World Bank and other institutions to build dams, airports, electric grids, and other infrastructure he knew they couldn't afford. The loans were given on condition that construction and engineering contracts went to U.S. companies. Often, the money would simply be transferred from one bank account in Washington, D.C., to another one in New York or San Francisco. The deals were smoothed over with bribes for foreign officials, but it was the taxpayers in the foreign countries who had to pay back the loans. When their governments couldn't do so, as was often the case, the U.S. or its henchmen at the World Bank or International Monetary Fund would step in and essentially place the country in trusteeship, dictating everything from its spending budget to security agreements and even its United Nations votes. It was, Perkins writes, a clever way for the U.S. to expand its "empire" at the expense of Third World citizens. While at times he seems a little overly focused on conspiracies, perhaps that's not surprising considering the life he's led. --Alex Roslin From Publishers Weekly Review An Enlightening Read Good for Americans to read ExcellentProduct Details
Editorial Reviews
John Perkins started and stopped writing Confessions of an Economic Hit Man four times over 20 years. He says he was threatened and bribed in an effort to kill the project, but after 9/11 he finally decided to go through with this expose of his former professional life. Perkins, a former chief economist at Boston strategic-consulting firm Chas. T. Main, says he was an "economic hit man" for 10 years, helping U.S. intelligence agencies and multinationals cajole and blackmail foreign leaders into serving U.S. foreign policy and awarding lucrative contracts to American business. "Economic hit men (EHMs) are highly paid professionals who cheat countries around the globe out of trillions of dollars," Perkins writes. Confessions of an Economic Hit Man is an extraordinary and gripping tale of intrigue and dark machinations. Think John Le Carré, except it's a true story.
Perkins spent the 1970s working as an economic planner for an international consulting firm, a job that took him to exotic locales like Indonesia and Panama, helping wealthy corporations exploit developing nations as, he claims, a not entirely unwitting front for the National Security Agency. He says he was trained early in his career by a glamorous older woman as one of many "economic hit men" advancing the cause of corporate hegemony. He also says he has wanted to tell his story for the last two decades, but his shadowy masters have either bought him off or threatened him until now. The story as presented is implausible to say the least, offering so few details that Perkins often seems paranoid, and the simplistic political analysis doesn’t enhance his credibility. Despite the claim that his work left him wracked with guilt, the artless prose is emotionally flat and generally comes across as a personal crisis of conscience blown up to monstrous proportions, casting Perkins as a victim not only of his own neuroses over class and money but of dark forces beyond his control. His claim to have assisted the House of Saud in strengthening its ties to American power brokers may be timely enough to attract some attention, but the yarn he spins is ultimately unconvincing, except perhaps to conspiracy buffs.
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"John Perkins has written a book that shakes one's confidence in the ethics of the prevailing economic system." -- Jim Garrison, author, America As Empire, President of the State of the World Forum
"Must reading for those who know another world is possible!" -- Hazel Henderson, author of Beyond Globalization and Building a Win-Win World
"Perkins narrates his moral awakening to break free from the corrupt system of global domination he himself helped to create." -- Michael Brownstein
"This book is Perkins' story, that through necessity and courage offers us a way back, beyond salvation, to human justice." -- Gary Margolis Ph.D., Director, Center for Counseling and Human Relations, Associate Professor of English, Middlebury College, author, Fire in the Orchard and Falling Awake
"… true, powerful, revealing, and bone chilling personal story that names names and connects the dots . . . " -- David Korten, author of the bestselling When Corporations Rule the World
An adventure thriller that connects the dots between corporate globalization, American Empire, and the dynasty of the House of Bush. -- Dragonfly Review, November 2004
It is rare to find a book that takes your breath away. This may be one such. The author tried five times to start writing this book but was threatened or bribed to desist. He remains optimistic. You may find reading this book, either entertaining, or provoking rage, apoplexy or intense depression. Judge for yourself. Business Economist Business Economist 20050711Customer Reviews
It is not John Perkins' goal to describe his participation in some US governmental conspiracy. Rather Perkins tremendously gives the reader insightful information in something he calls "corporatocracy." Corporatocracy is made up of banks, corporations, and governments that each play a part in creating an American empire based on manipulation and deceit.
An economic hit man, according to Perkins, is someone who travels to less developed countries and entices them to receive World Bank loans to develop their infrastructure (such as roads, airports, electrical grids, water purification systems, dams, etc.) The catch is, the loans given to the country must be handed to the US Treasury, who in return, will disburse it among US construction companies who stand to make an enormous sum of money. If the game is played correctly, the country will not be able to pay the loan back. The US will then forgive some of the loans in exchange for a military base or a chance to drill for oil. The real winner of all of this is of course the US.
I believe Confessions gives us a look at what we all believe is going on behind the curtain, but do not know the specifics. Perkins gives these specifics and so much more. I highly recommend this book.
The subject of Confessions of an Economic Hit Man is something that to much of the world outside of the USA is common knowledge but is hidden from the view of those living within its borders. It is an essential read for any American who has ever asked the question: "Why does the rest of the world hate us so much?" It is an essential read for those hoping to understand the state of current world affairs and the spread of globalization. At the very least, it will either prompt you to empathise with the state of those enslaved by the system, or to reject what you have just read as utter foolishness. In either case, at least you will understand the very real mindset of people around the world.
This is an excellent book that will raise your awareness of solutions to corporate greed.
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