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Product Description: 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.
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
Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: - loved it
Goes perfectly with the likes of The People's History of the United States. I really loved this book because I had a sense that this was happening but I just didn't know how. Very very good book, a must read for anyone who likes to think critically about American foreign policy, the World Bank and the plight of indigenous people.
Rating: - Could not put it down
I found this book an amazing read. It combined reality with subterfuge on a massive scale, and showed how modern Imperialism impoverishes third world countries while making their political families wealthy and indebting these nations. This is all deemed necessary to turn them into the pawns in the superpower chess game. Forget democracy, as preached by President Bush, his machine is perpetuating these values - just think of the keywords "Haliburton" and "Cheney" in rebuilding Iraq.
What was most powerful for me was how the author came to his own epiphany and changed his lifetime goals. The book was suppressed for some time but I for one am so pleased that it was published. Now we can do something about this.
Rating: - An Enlightening Read
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.
Rating: - Good for Americans to read
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.
Rating: - Excellent
This is an excellent book that will raise your awareness of solutions to corporate greed.
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