Confessions of an Economic Hitman
by John Perkins
The book, Confessions of an Economic Hit Man by John Perkins has received international recognition and was converted into a documentary. If someone approaches me with an interest in learning about international affairs or world poverty or the American empire, and their interest is to hear the side of the story that is not given in the mainstream press, U.S. classrooms, or Hollywood, this book is one of my first recommendations. It is a good introduction into the workings of empire.
Since the book was published, it rose to 5th on the NY Times bestseller and 23rd on Amazon and is also being taught in college classrooms including DePaul University. The main criticism of the book, including a NYTimes review, is the veracity of the some of the information or story. However, most criticisms don't deny that things like he describes happen but rather Perkins was not there or is embellishing. I, personally, try not to take anything as full truth or falsehood. But, ultimately, that is for the reader to decide.
Simply put, the way it works is - Large multinational corporations and their agents in government and international agencies identify countries that have resources those corporations covet. Through the World Bank or the International Monetary Fund (IMF), both of which are headquartered in Washington D.C., massive loan packages are created to lend to those countries. Most of us would think this is a good thing. But there is a huge misconception about these loans (sometimes called Structural Adjustment Programs).
The money does not go to the people of that country but rather to a large multinational corporation to build infrastructure projects, whether that be energy or other industry, that the same or another corporation will ultimately control the production of. But the rub is, the country is indebted, so the people of that country, often of very low-income, are left paying the debt and interest while a very small group reap the profits gained from resource extraction.
If the leaders of those countries are not willing to agree to these sorts of deals, well as you will find out, Economic Hit Men are sent to attempt to corrupt them. If corruption doesn't work, then there is an effort to remove them from power. Guatemala and Iran in 1953 as well as Ecuador and Panama in 1981 are just a couple of examples. Here John Perkins talks about those examples as well as others including Iraq, Venezuela, and Saudi Arabia. And finally, if they remain in power, then military is sent in to get rid of them.
Perkins goes on to coin the term Corporatocracy (or it was at least the first time I heard it). The premise is that powerful corporations, rather than the U.S. or any other government, are running the global empire. Decisions are made to benefit those interests. And also, that the distinction between government and corporations has become so diluted due to revolving door between the two.
Below is a "short documentary" about 26 minutes long but I have also include a link to the full interview, the book, and his website.
"When I read Confessions of An Economic Hit Man, I could not have known that, some years later, I would be on the receiving end of the type of economic hit that Perkins so vividly narrated. This book resonates with my experiences of the brutish methods and gross economic irrationality guiding powerful institutions in their bid to undermine democratic control over economic power. Perkins has, once again, made a substantial contribution to the world that needs whistleblowers to open its eyes to the true sources of political, social, and economic power."
- Yanis Fourvakis, Former Greek Minister of Finance
Full Interview - www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-a6jzU0YgQ
Website - www.johnperkins.org/
Full Book (PDF) - www.resistir.info/john_perkins_confessions_of_an_economic_hit_man
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