Nonfiction

Confessions of an Economic Hit Man

Confessions of an Economic Hit Man

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  • Create Date：2023-03-10 06:54:16
  • Update Date：2025-09-06
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  • Author：John Perkins
  • ISBN：1523001895
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Summary

The riveting third edition of this New York Times bestselling title expands its focus to China， exposes corruption on an international scale， and offers much-needed solutions。

Extensively updated， this edition features twelve new chapters， including a new introduction， preface， and study guide。 The book brings the story of economic hit men （EHMs） up-to-date and focuses on China’s EHM strategy。

EHMs are highly paid professionals who use development loans to cheat countries around the globe out of trillions of dollars and force them to serve US interests。 Former economic hit man John Perkins gives an insider view into this system。 With a truly global perspective， this book offers powerful revelations on extremely timely elements， including the third economic hit man wave that is sweeping the world and the way China optimizes US EHM models to make them a more dominating force。 China’s strategy is even more dangerous since it’s successful at enticing lower income nations。

Perkins also reveals how we can transform what he calls a failing Death Economy into a Life Economy。 He encourages China’s leaders to apply the Confucian ideal of serving the family to the global community to end the EHM strategy。 The book ultimately provides a source of hope and inspires readers to participate in a new era of global cooperation。

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Reviews

Dhulkarnain ，

அமெரிக்காவையும்， உலக வங்கியையும் அதன் பின்னிருந்து இயக்கும் யூதர்களைப் பற்றி இந்தப் புத்தகத்தில் எங்குமே பேசப்படவில்லை என்பது ஒரு வித சந்தேகத்தை ஏற்படுத்துகிறது。

Kevin ，

It’s a really fun book to read， but I found it difficult to take much of it seriously。 A lot of the worst examples of foreign policy misconduct are speculative and without evidence。 He glosses over the fact that western foreign policy decisions are complex， not based exclusively on the interactions he personally had。 He seems to praise a lot of left-wing leaders of developing countries， which only thinly veils his own ideological perspective。 The author says he did bad things for money， which ma It’s a really fun book to read， but I found it difficult to take much of it seriously。 A lot of the worst examples of foreign policy misconduct are speculative and without evidence。 He glosses over the fact that western foreign policy decisions are complex， not based exclusively on the interactions he personally had。 He seems to praise a lot of left-wing leaders of developing countries， which only thinly veils his own ideological perspective。 The author says he did bad things for money， which makes me wonder if that is also his motivation for writing this book。 His prescription for the future is unrealistic， rehashed hippie wishful thinking。 It is an easy read and fun， though， particularly if you already have a good handle on world history and basic economic principles。 。。。more

Merna ，

The book gives incredible insights into the workings of the world as we know it， but its poor writing does a big disservice to its core ideas。 mMay be a bit outdated read in the 2020s， but would still recommend it

Emre Sultan ，

كتاب هام جداً وشهير 。。 بيركنز يقوم بعمل جولة （داخلية） يعرفك فيها بقاذورات خلفية لأباطرة الاقتصاد والمؤسسات الدولية العالمية 。。 يحتاج هذه الجولة كل منا ليفهم أن العالم بالفعل خطير خطير وكل منا ينام في العسل ！مميزات الكتاب هي تلك النظرة الداخلية الغير متوفرة الا نادراً ، والصيغة القصصية الشيقة للكتاب 。。يعيب الكتاب أن بيركنز لم يكشف الا أشياء قليلة 。。 كان من الواضح للغاية أن الكتاب في بدايته يعد بالكثير والكثير خاصة بعد أن كشف منذ البداية ألاعيب المرأة التي علمته القاذورات بصراحة ، لكنه بعد ذلك راح كتاب هام جداً وشهير 。。 بيركنز يقوم بعمل جولة （داخلية） يعرفك فيها بقاذورات خلفية لأباطرة الاقتصاد والمؤسسات الدولية العالمية 。。 يحتاج هذه الجولة كل منا ليفهم أن العالم بالفعل خطير خطير وكل منا ينام في العسل ！مميزات الكتاب هي تلك النظرة الداخلية الغير متوفرة الا نادراً ، والصيغة القصصية الشيقة للكتاب 。。يعيب الكتاب أن بيركنز لم يكشف الا أشياء قليلة 。。 كان من الواضح للغاية أن الكتاب في بدايته يعد بالكثير والكثير خاصة بعد أن كشف منذ البداية ألاعيب المرأة التي علمته القاذورات بصراحة ، لكنه بعد ذلك راح يحوم ويحلق من بعيد ويخبرك بأقل التفاصيل عما يفعله في حياته وان اهتم بسرد قصة حياته وعشيقاته وأسرته أكثر من اهتمامه بذكر تفاصيل أكثر للعمليات القذرة 。。 لكن يبدوا أن بيركنز قاوم الكثير - وهو يعترف بهذا - قبل اخراج الكتاب وأخرج فقط ما يمكن حكيه 。。 。。。more

Oscar Medina ，

Exposing these fools

Tùng Lâm Phạm ，

Mặc dù vẫn còn nhiều tranh cãi về tính chính xác nhưng "Lời thú tội của một sát thủ kinh tế" đã đưa ra một góc nhìn thú vị về cách mà các công ty đa quốc gia cùng các định chế tài chính như Worldbank， IMF đang lợi dụng các khoản vay và các dự án phát triển để chiếm đoạt tài nguyên cũng như chi phối chính trị của các nước đang phát triển。 Qua đó， chúng ta hiểu hơn về mặt trái của chiêu bài viện trợ， về tập đoàn trị， về hậu quả của việc khai thác thiên nhiên vô độ， và thêm ý thức bảo vệ chủ quyền， Mặc dù vẫn còn nhiều tranh cãi về tính chính xác nhưng "Lời thú tội của một sát thủ kinh tế" đã đưa ra một góc nhìn thú vị về cách mà các công ty đa quốc gia cùng các định chế tài chính như Worldbank， IMF đang lợi dụng các khoản vay và các dự án phát triển để chiếm đoạt tài nguyên cũng như chi phối chính trị của các nước đang phát triển。 Qua đó， chúng ta hiểu hơn về mặt trái của chiêu bài viện trợ， về tập đoàn trị， về hậu quả của việc khai thác thiên nhiên vô độ， và thêm ý thức bảo vệ chủ quyền， tài nguyên quốc gia。Vốn giữ quan điểm "Làm tốt việc của mình， không lo việc người khác， không quản việc của trời" nên trước giờ tôi chả mấy để tâm về kinh tế vĩ mô。 Thế mà John Perkins đã khiến tôi phải thay đổi suy nghĩ và tôi cho rằng tất cả chúng ta， nhất là các bạn trẻ nên quan tâm nhiều hơn đến những vấn đề về phát triển， chính trị và kinh tế toàn cầu， đặc biệt trong thời đại "toàn cầu hoá"。 。。。more

Emma ，

This book was an informative， thoughtful critique of the Unites State’ role in the world economy， and it’s meddling with the economies and governments of other nations。 However， the beginning is bogged down by Perkins extremely misogynistic views And language， particularly in the beginning of the book。 I understand Perkins grew up “in a different time” but he could have edited out at least half the usage of the word “slut” and it still would have been too much。 2。5

John ，

Welcome third ed。 Updates thesis in previous versions of how EHMs further a death economy。 Brings up to date the role of China and the past decade's environmental， political， and cultural aftershocks from the 2008 meltdown continuing a dozen years later。 Offers solutions by defining and implementing a life economy。 Well documented， with a guide for reading groups and discussion， which I add would enliven many seminars， presentations， and classrooms， too。 Although repetitive in its thesis， Perkin Welcome third ed。 Updates thesis in previous versions of how EHMs further a death economy。 Brings up to date the role of China and the past decade's environmental， political， and cultural aftershocks from the 2008 meltdown continuing a dozen years later。 Offers solutions by defining and implementing a life economy。 Well documented， with a guide for reading groups and discussion， which I add would enliven many seminars， presentations， and classrooms， too。 Although repetitive in its thesis， Perkins' commitment to ethical action， principled business， and truly fair trade deserves a wide readership。 And it's from an ecologically and economically aware publisher。 Perkins explains his trajectory from manipulator to healer effectively。 。。。more

Lisa Conarroe ，

He says “the story must be told” but this is the vaguest， outline of a story。 Granted， if it’s all true， probably telling more wouldn’t allow him to be published or worse。 But it’s so surface level， it’s annoying。 Give some meat to the story or don’t bother。

Alexander Horvath ，

"Confessions of an Economic Hit Man" by John Perkins is a thought-provoking and eye-opening book that sheds light on the shadowy world of international finance and development。 The author， who worked as an "economic hit man" for a multinational consulting firm， shares his experiences and provides a first-hand account of the methods used by the United States and other powerful nations to control and exploit weaker countries for their own gain。The book is a captivating read that is both informativ "Confessions of an Economic Hit Man" by John Perkins is a thought-provoking and eye-opening book that sheds light on the shadowy world of international finance and development。 The author， who worked as an "economic hit man" for a multinational consulting firm， shares his experiences and provides a first-hand account of the methods used by the United States and other powerful nations to control and exploit weaker countries for their own gain。The book is a captivating read that is both informative and entertaining。 Perkins writes with great detail and clarity， making complex economic concepts easily accessible to the reader。 He takes the reader on a journey through his own life and experiences， offering a unique perspective on the inner workings of the global financial system。 The author's personal anecdotes and reflections bring the book to life and make it a compelling read。"Confessions of an Economic Hit Man" is more than just a memoir， it is a call to action。 Perkins argues that the current global economic system is inherently flawed and that it is up to ordinary people to challenge and change it。 The book serves as a wake-up call for those who are concerned about the future of the world and the impact of economic policies on ordinary people。Overall， "Confessions of an Economic Hit Man" is a must-read for anyone interested in international development， economics， and global politics。 Perkins's personal account of his experiences and insights provide a unique perspective on the global financial system and the impact it has on ordinary people。 The book is well-written， engaging， and thought-provoking， and it is sure to leave a lasting impression on anyone who reads it。 。。。more

Fearless Leader ，

The author is a weak Anglo moralist who went native。 Sad but expected。

mohamed khaled ，

يولاد اللذينةدا انتوا م*بعبصينا

Alexander ，

“It’s important to emphasize that people everywhere are victims of the EHM strategy。 We have been duped。 Many of us have bought into the idea that our country is doing the right thing。 That is true for Russians， Chinese， Brazilians， Nigerians， Americans， and people in so many places。 Even though we are victims， we are also collaborators。 The strategy works because we support it，” writes John Perkins at the beginning of his new book。 It’s aptly titled Confessions of an Economic Hitman。 “Since the “It’s important to emphasize that people everywhere are victims of the EHM strategy。 We have been duped。 Many of us have bought into the idea that our country is doing the right thing。 That is true for Russians， Chinese， Brazilians， Nigerians， Americans， and people in so many places。 Even though we are victims， we are also collaborators。 The strategy works because we support it，” writes John Perkins at the beginning of his new book。 It’s aptly titled Confessions of an Economic Hitman。 “Since the time of the ancient Chinese， Persian， and Roman empires， the basic strategy has served those who seek to dominate others—both inside and outside their borders。 Despite all the cultural and technological changes over the centuries， that strategy has focused on the same goal: the exploitation of resources to satisfy short-term materialistic consumption and increase the riches and power of a few elites，” he continues。 “The goal of domination is cloaked in a critical factor: the perception that those being dominated are receiving benefits。 In modern times， the justification for EHM tactics is the perception that they produce better lives for all， raising lower-income countries to higher-income status and elevating the poorest people to the middle class。 ‘We are the good guys’ is the story taught in economics and business courses at universities， as well as in World Bank and International Monetary Fund （IMF） reports。 For many years， believing this story， I was eager to spread that perception。 Like so many involved in the economic development business， I was convinced that I was doing the right thing。 I and my staff compiled impressive statistics and created sophisticated econometric models to ‘prove’ that our strategy resulted in greater prosperity， equality， and democracy。 Eventually， I realized that we were promoting a lie。”It’s simultaneously ballsy and surprisingly humble how Perkins writes， but in this particular case that amalgam of traits proves effective and charismatic。 The kind of unapologetic straightforwardness， never bordering on out-and-out flippancy， makes Perkins feel human。 It also makes Perkins feel authentic and trustworthy （ironically so）。 He tells it like it is， because he knows it like it is。 There’s no sense of messing around。 “Marketing executives， psychotherapists， and politicians know that perception molds reality。 Countries， cultures， religions， and corporations do not exist until enough people accept a perception that drives them to take reality-altering actions。 Nations intent on dominating others understand that the key to their strategy is perception，” Perkins writes in this vein。 “…I have worked diligently to write from as objective and fair a perspective as possible， yet I’m sure I’m unaware of some of my own biases and that you may come across statements in this book that reflect those biases。 If so， I ask for your forgiveness and understanding。 Please know that my goal is not to offend anyone。 Nor is it to defend China’s model。 Or America’s model。 It is rather to permanently relegate the EHM strategy to the trash bin of history。 Every EHM strategy。 Once and for all。” 。。。more

Elvin Əsgərov ，

Mindblowing history of America and how they controlled poor governed contries with rich oils/reserves。 After readin this book I'm terrified for my own land because we also have rich oil and currently we have new American oil companies doing works on our lands。 Mindblowing history of America and how they controlled poor governed contries with rich oils/reserves。 After readin this book I'm terrified for my own land because we also have rich oil and currently we have new American oil companies doing works on our lands。 。。。more

Omar ，

حسبنا الله على كل هذا الإجرام في حق الشعوب。。。

Aaron Curmi ，

I gave this book 3 stars， but it was probably closer to 2。5。 For many reasons。 First， I did find the book entertaining。 And I mean that literally。 It entertained me in much the same way a spy novel or adventure story might entertain me。 It had interesting hooks here and there and it was fun to read the descriptions of some of the places mentioned， since I had been to some of them myself。 Then， the book follows a historical trajectory and series of events that is of course true， but the finer det I gave this book 3 stars， but it was probably closer to 2。5。 For many reasons。 First， I did find the book entertaining。 And I mean that literally。 It entertained me in much the same way a spy novel or adventure story might entertain me。 It had interesting hooks here and there and it was fun to read the descriptions of some of the places mentioned， since I had been to some of them myself。 Then， the book follows a historical trajectory and series of events that is of course true， but the finer details just seem so convenient。 Again， in much the same way as a spy novel。 Perkins describes events， entities， and mechanisms of neoliberalism and global capitalism that did happen， are still happening， and are functioning in much the same way as they always have。 However， his role in all of this is difficult to really confirm or deny， along with the cast of characters he encounters along the way。 I suppose this is what makes the book， though。 The question， for me， that was constantly looming over this book was "did he actually do all this？ Because it would be quite easy for someone to just fictionalize all of this。" I couldn't shake the feeling that I was reading a historically based spy novel。 Historical fiction， essentially。 Perkins may be who he claims， but it would also be easy and low stakes to not really be that person， too。 In each new place， he always gets whisked away by some random local who "wants to show him a side of that he has never seen。" He goes with them， feeling unsure but wanting adventure。 He ends up in a local establishment and someone hits him with a perspective he hadn't considered before and makes him question himself。 Oh， and there is often an attractive woman there to be a sage in some form or fashion。 All very "James Bond。" Finally， and most crucially， the impetus for writing the book。 If it is taken at face value， he is a man who has seen the error of his wicked ways and is trying to alert others of nefarious goings on。 If taken another way， it is a man who has done irreparable damage to entire countries， economies， and populations and is looking for penance for his fully， completely corrupted soul。 While reading the book， you will be constantly beaten over the head with how Perkins feels just terrible， awful about the things he's done。 But then， he rationalizes and goes and ruins more lives。 Taken yet another way， it is just another opportunistic cash grab from a man whose entire MO and life schematic have been opportunistic cash grabs。 Maybe his role in it was real。 Maybe it wasn't。 But he sure is making a lot of money off of it， either way。 And the final point for me was that it really doesn't matter what sort of pontificating， soap boxing， about-facing， and finger wagging he does: the man （again， if what he says is true） ruined entire countries and populations for money。 There is no absolution for the level of sin he has committed。 And seeing it turned into a money making scheme makes it even worse。 This book does serve the purpose， however， of illuminating the role of the IMF and World Bank as neoliberal/neocolonial arms of the US empire following World War 2。 Having known a great deal about this prior to reading "Confessions of an Economic Hit Man" helped me to breeze through this one a bit quicker。 To me， that is the most redeeming quality of the book: illumination of neoliberal mechanisms which have always been lurking behind the scenes。 However， for a more in depth and proper analysis of these topics， I would highly recommend "A Brief History of Neoliberalism" by David Harvey out of the Oxford University Press。 It is a much drier read， but it is also much more informative， in-depth， and properly sourced。 I would recommend this book to someone with basically no knowledge of neoliberalism and needs a more narrative introduction。 If you are familiar with these concepts already， skip this book。 You'll be disappointed。 。。。more

books。bintulu ，

January 2023: Confessions of an Economic Hit Man“Thinking back， I see my doubts， the whisperings of guilt， were there from the beginning。”What does Economic Hit Man （EHM） do？1。 Justify， induce and convince that huge international loans that funnel back money to MAIN and other US companies through mega engineering and construction projects，2。 so that the countries that received the loans; gone bankrupt， forever beholden to their creditors and become an easy target for favors （military base， UN vo January 2023: Confessions of an Economic Hit Man“Thinking back， I see my doubts， the whisperings of guilt， were there from the beginning。”What does Economic Hit Man （EHM） do？1。 Justify， induce and convince that huge international loans that funnel back money to MAIN and other US companies through mega engineering and construction projects，2。 so that the countries that received the loans; gone bankrupt， forever beholden to their creditors and become an easy target for favors （military base， UN votes， access to oil & other natural resources）3。 Highly paid job and you get to meet countries and political leaders。If EHM fails， the jackals will follow up。 War is the next action if the jackals fail。 Totally a new method of imperialism， to pursue global empire – corporatocracy。The author， John Perkins reveals his experience as an EHM working for a company， Chas。 T。 Main， Inc （MAIN） since 1971。 His experience includes the electrification project in Indonesia， where he first delivered as what the bosses demanded （17-20% load demand compare to 8-9% demand made by former technical colleague）。 As the results， he was promoted to become the Chief Economist。 In between travelling， meetings and reports， the author could not escape from feeling guilty with his job。 He met remarkable persons that instill awakening and even persuade him to write about his experience。 He knew the consequences of his reports thus resigned from MAIN in 1980。 ……I found mix comments about this book on GR。 It is an eye opening in every aspects; economics， history and geopolitics。 Even during his hiring process， it surprised me when his childhood upbringing was one of the factors that made him perfect for the job。I wonder how the corporatocracy has evolved since then。The other side of history of Panama， Saudi Arabia， Iran and Iraq are told from a new perspective。 The author advised to read in between the lines of every news article and question deeper the implications of every news。 A skill that I am still learning。 。。。more

B ，

In this controversial quasi-conspiracy theory-style book that may well have been entitled “inside the mafia，” Perkins narrates the inner workings of the “Washington Consensus，” and how he abets it through various “consulting services，” by ensuring that developing nations remain in that state permanently， rather than helping them actually develop through state-funded projects。 The author reveals the discussions and byzantine games behind closed doors， the deliberately inflated statistics， the mas In this controversial quasi-conspiracy theory-style book that may well have been entitled “inside the mafia，” Perkins narrates the inner workings of the “Washington Consensus，” and how he abets it through various “consulting services，” by ensuring that developing nations remain in that state permanently， rather than helping them actually develop through state-funded projects。 The author reveals the discussions and byzantine games behind closed doors， the deliberately inflated statistics， the massive loans that are extended by international consortia to developing states in full knowledge that they will not be repaid （and therefore will be used to leverage advantageous “deals” down the line）， and the mysterious “deaths” of the official of developing nations who object to such loans。In short， Perkins explains the new model of exploitation by the rich nations that is no longer based on direct state intervention （financially or militarily）， but rather on “soft power”。 。。。more

Yuna Brm ，

Read this in high school。 It’s an important read especially for people who come from countries that are geopolitically advantageous and with natural resources。

Kayla ，

DNF。 Tried to get into this， many times， over many years。 The author has too privileged and too perfect a viewpoint for me。 He is pompous， self absorbed， and thinks he is so aware of what is happening around him and why it is。 I couldn't get past the feeling that he was overselling the worth of his viewpoint。 I stopped before chapter 4 because some paragraphs at the end of the previous chapter made me want to toss this book in the trash can。 DNF。 Tried to get into this， many times， over many years。 The author has too privileged and too perfect a viewpoint for me。 He is pompous， self absorbed， and thinks he is so aware of what is happening around him and why it is。 I couldn't get past the feeling that he was overselling the worth of his viewpoint。 I stopped before chapter 4 because some paragraphs at the end of the previous chapter made me want to toss this book in the trash can。 。。。more

AC ，

The book is a biography of John Perkins， an “Economic Hit Man。” He was raised being the poorest in high-class boarding schools， only squeaking in because his parents worked there。 He was a well-educated man who had started his career in the peace corps， avoiding the Vietnam war， by volunteering in Ecuador。 Once the war had ended， an international consulting company named MAIN， as Perkins described， took interest in him。 He was offered a job by the former vice president， who indoctrinated him int The book is a biography of John Perkins， an “Economic Hit Man。” He was raised being the poorest in high-class boarding schools， only squeaking in because his parents worked there。 He was a well-educated man who had started his career in the peace corps， avoiding the Vietnam war， by volunteering in Ecuador。 Once the war had ended， an international consulting company named MAIN， as Perkins described， took interest in him。 He was offered a job by the former vice president， who indoctrinated him into the business of cheating countries out of their economic futures， and natural resources whilst replacing the government with an American one。 Throughout his career， he would research developing countries and give them false economic forecasts so they would use American government subsidies and become forever indebted。 Once the countries were in debt the USA could use their political stature， natural resources， and geopolitical state to advance the Manifest Destiny rhetoric。 However， this work put a heavy mental load on Perkins， so he quit creating many non-profits and writing books to bring aid to the environmental disaster he helped create without giving responsibility to his old employers。 After years of this environmental work， he decided to come clean and released the first edition of Confessions of an Economic Hitman， in which he exposed his life experiences。A quote that I found that summarizes Perkins’s expressions throughout the book “Few swim in riches and the majority drown in poverty， pollution， and violence。” it shows how Perkins views the dirty business he was in。 The idea of removing the greater good from most for the betterment of the 1%。 If I was told to describe the book using two adjectives， I would use exposed and daring。 Exposed because John Perkins catches corporate America and the levels of government that exploit poor countries with their pants down。 His blind-siding exposition goes against everything that was asked of him， he refused to let his acts brush over and harm the world。 Daring because he was in a very dangerous business， one where anonymity is highly valued。 When he put the book out， a large target appeared on his back。 Also because each time you read about a catastrophe， you think they wouldn't dare go any farther， but each time it gets more interestingThe information Perkins’s novel provides， even if far-fetched， an address to a covered topic。 The brush he has taken to the site of government involvement in foreign occupation and economic trapping is a step in the exposing of corruption and uncovering of secretive deals in the world’s government。I liked the easy and fantastical approach the book took toward describing the shady operations by governments and large companies， making the information easily digestible。 However， it is also what I dislike。 As the book reads as a fantasy piece with the deals in dark rooms and seduction for his inducement to the EHM business， it makes the information incredibly hard to take seriously。 Perkins may be telling the truth， but the style and outlandish information give an inkling of deception。Throughout reading， I learned how powerful the USA’s economic control over the countries it exploits， and how the Manifest Destiny idea never went away from America's minds。 How dangerous corporate America can be if they want something from you。This book was meant to inform the widely unknowing public of the exploitation of developing countries by extensive economic powers， so this is a great starter to learn about how corrupt and devious the power figures can be in our society。 This book is perfect for a young adult who needs a path to read through different propaganda and messages。 It introduces that the government may not be directly linked to their companies in foreign occupation but helped them achieve and maintain their exploitative position。 。。。more

Trk142 ，

Interesting if true。 Terrifying if true。 Had to read for a class。 My professor projected his opinions on to me so I was fascinated reading it but then had to rethink as my professor decided it was a huge stretch of the truth。

Dean Freeman ，

I should love this book。 Growing up as a Third Culture Kid， child to Peace Corps volunteers who would eventually work in the world of International Aid， and having lived in Europe and Latin America virtually all of my childhood， this book gives insight to powers and international political and economic dynamics that I directly benefited from。 These were not abstract forces， even to a young child。 I could see their effects， feel with my body the difference in power between me and others。 My criti I should love this book。 Growing up as a Third Culture Kid， child to Peace Corps volunteers who would eventually work in the world of International Aid， and having lived in Europe and Latin America virtually all of my childhood， this book gives insight to powers and international political and economic dynamics that I directly benefited from。 These were not abstract forces， even to a young child。 I could see their effects， feel with my body the difference in power between me and others。 My critique of this book is that while the author claims to have gone through the rigamoroll of guilty emotions throughout during and after his time as an Economic Hit Man， he doesn't show me that in his writing。 You felt guilty how？ You felt regret how？ You felt like a sell out how？ His descriptions of his patriotism and his somewhat tumultuous childhood is a good start but we never see him really try to emotionally grapple with his action beyond fairly basic descriptions。 Put simply， I wanted to see him really squirm。 Its a confession afterall， no？I feel this disappointment because I expected the book after its first quarter to help me confront my own guilt of growing up in the far reaches of the empire in ways that I have found extremely difficult。 Perhaps the reason why I do not love this memoir is not because I did not get what I wanted out of it but because what I want is impossible。 I should know。 。。。more

KONSTANTINOS BILLIAS ，

Μετα την οικονομικη κριση στην Ελλαδα， και ειδικα γνωριζοντας την εξαρτηση της μεσω των δανειων ， κατανοει καλυτερα κανεις τον μηχανισμο που χρησιμοποιουν οι υπερδυναμεις ， προκειμενου μικροτερες χωρες （αλλα σημαντικες για τα σχεδια τους ） να εξαρτωνται απο αυτες και να "υπακουν¨στις εντολες τους 。Δενα θα κρινω εδω τον συγγραφεα ， ουτε σαν τροπο γραφης ουτε οσον αφορα τις προθεσεις του η την ειλικρινεια του。Μενω στο αποσταγμα που ειναι η αναγκη καθε χωρας να επιμενει στην οσο το δυνατον μεγαλυτε Μετα την οικονομικη κριση στην Ελλαδα， και ειδικα γνωριζοντας την εξαρτηση της μεσω των δανειων ， κατανοει καλυτερα κανεις τον μηχανισμο που χρησιμοποιουν οι υπερδυναμεις ， προκειμενου μικροτερες χωρες （αλλα σημαντικες για τα σχεδια τους ） να εξαρτωνται απο αυτες και να "υπακουν¨στις εντολες τους 。Δενα θα κρινω εδω τον συγγραφεα ， ουτε σαν τροπο γραφης ουτε οσον αφορα τις προθεσεις του η την ειλικρινεια του。Μενω στο αποσταγμα που ειναι η αναγκη καθε χωρας να επιμενει στην οσο το δυνατον μεγαλυτερη αυταρκεια της ， στην διατηρηση της δυναμης ληψης αποφασεων χωρις την επιρροη των δανειστων που μονο τους συμφερον ειναι η ολο και μεγαλυτερη εξαρτηση μικρων χωρων απο αυτες 。Αξιζει να διαβαστει ειδικα απο τους νεοτερους και λιγοτερο ενημερωμενους ， η απο τους ρομαντικους γιατι λιγη προσγειωση δεν κανει κακο。 。。。more

Clara Maassen ，

This book had some very valuable lessons about greed and capitalism， as well as unfair income distribution and therefore， lack of equity。 Perkins explores how our society is based on the idea of “consumption to help the economy” and how that is destroying people and the planet。He talks a lot about econometrics， which I’m very interested in， so I enjoyed reading about statistic manipulation。 Perkins was faced with the task of having to justify projects that bring highest GDP to other countries so This book had some very valuable lessons about greed and capitalism， as well as unfair income distribution and therefore， lack of equity。 Perkins explores how our society is based on the idea of “consumption to help the economy” and how that is destroying people and the planet。He talks a lot about econometrics， which I’m very interested in， so I enjoyed reading about statistic manipulation。 Perkins was faced with the task of having to justify projects that bring highest GDP to other countries so that MAIN and other TNCs have huge profit margins and so that the countries are put into so much debt that they become dependent on America: “A web of debt that ensures their loyalty”。There’s also the idea of Growth vs。 Development。 These contractors are positioned comfortably behind a façade of lies， with absolutely no interest in actually helping these countries。 Their only motivations are corporate interest and greed。 The way that these companies try to “help” other economies usually only benefits those who are already rich， and pushes the poor even lower。 Some， as Perkins described， notice their wrongdoings but stay in the field simply because it is such a high paying job。Perkins also talks a lot about willingness to understand a culture。 He has multiple experiences where he is rejected by locals because he is an American economist。 However， once he begins to learn the languages and spends time experiencing the peoples culture， they become very accepting。I was able to draw many parallels of this book to my classes。 Economics: growth vs。 development， the negatives of free trade and how it can lead to exploitation。 Maths: econometrics and statistical manipulation。 Geography: Globalisations impact on our climate and how Americanisation is destroying culture。 English: 1984 - Power corrupts， Persepolis - Perkins writes a lot about the Iranian Revolution and the loss that MAIN suffered from the Shah’s downfall。I found this book very enlightening and I think it was very brave of Perkins to publish this， because it does give light to a very dark side of geopolitics and financial manipulation。The one thing that I didn’t like about this book was how it was written。 It was about too much like a novel for my liking。 There were too many clichés with how he formulated things。 A lot of the book seem very egocentric and there were just some unnecessary aspects。All in all， a super interesting book about the effects of globalisation and the current geopolitical climate。 It’s shocking， how deeply westernised ideals and beliefs are entrenched in our brains， and how they are destroying so many other cultures。 。。。more

Alokita ，

Debating whether to put this book under the economics shelf or the non-fiction shelf。 Much of the content of the book is what the citizens of developing nations have long suspected or openly alleged against their developed nations and their extended economic institutions。Detailed review at Medium A copy of the review is also attached below for those who don't want to click on links。Genre Wise:It claims to be a fictionalized non-fiction about the life story of the 'Economic Hitmen' 。i。e our auth Debating whether to put this book under the economics shelf or the non-fiction shelf。 Much of the content of the book is what the citizens of developing nations have long suspected or openly alleged against their developed nations and their extended economic institutions。Detailed review at Medium A copy of the review is also attached below for those who don't want to click on links。Genre Wise:It claims to be a fictionalized non-fiction about the life story of the 'Economic Hitmen' 。i。e our author， whose job description involves setting up developing economies with astronomical debts for projects with falsified astronomical output， essentially hitting their economies in the guise of lifting them。 It reads more like a conspiracy theory that the world is already inclined to believe in。 Similar to a conspiracy theory the book utilises the absurdity of real-world events to justify his theory。 After all， in many cases， truth is stranger than fiction。 Hence， as an explanation for the fraught world- order and the cataclysmic events of invasions， wars， and terror attacks it has suffered from， the book presents to the reader an orderly conspiracy hatched by those in power to intentionally destabilize the losers and benefit the winner of the game。However， all conspiracy theories invariably use the results as evidence of the theory instead of any actual proof。 It also uses the innate suspicion in the minds of people who would rather blame a far-off evil than the banal existence of evil amongst their own selves。 A kernel of truth is wrapped around mystery and fantasy， where the veracity of the kernel is used to prove the veracity of the rest of its covering also。 Hence， it is up to the reader to classify it as a fiction or non-fiction。Story wise:The book traces two trajectories: the one of its author and the other of the world order that the author plays an important role （according to the author） in shaping。The author in the book， henceforth referred to as EHM narrates his life story from middle-class upbringing to higher-class ambitions that led him to enter the world of corporatocracy （corporate +bureaucracy）。 He utilised his role in various companies to further the goals of Neo-colonialism。Neocolonialism is the continuation or reimposition of imperialist rule by a state （usually， a former colonial power） over another nominally independent state （usually， a former colony）。 Neocolonialism takes the form of economic imperialism， globalization， cultural imperialism and conditional aid to influence or control a developing country instead of the previous colonial methods of direct military control or indirect political control （hegemony）。In his specific case， he mentions it involves the strategy of straddling developing countries with astronomical debt on the promise of astronomical progress。 The countries mentioned include mostly oil-rich countries like Saudi Arabia， Venezuela， Iran， and Iraq which have resulted in mass-scale man-made disasters on top of the instability of the countries' governments。 When economic neocolonialism fails， the countries many time resort to physical threats and hitmen to change the mind of the leadership。The narrative presented in the book raises the question of intentionality as it claims that debt colonialism （which is also what China has been accused to be doing in its interaction with African countries） was a well-thought-out plan by the higher authorities of the United States of America for which they trained the Economic Hit Men like the narrator。 The country used its corporates and vice versa to reap rich rewards by offering loans for infrastructure projects in developing countries that would be completed by their own companies。 This meant that on paper it seemed that the US government or its several other economic puppets（read institutions） have given money to the developing nations to spend on their development goals。 In reality， the money never left the US or its economic institutions， it just changes hands from the treasury department to the accounts of the construction firms of the country。 So was it intentional or a by-product of corporate greed？ Were the corporations acting independently or were they being guided in their actions by the invisible hand of the government？And no matter the answer to the last question， one thing to ponder upon is how these countries coerced （read: convinced） to ask for debt for such a project。 Aka The Methodology。 As explained in the book， this was mainly achieved through two methods。 The de jure method was to conduct feasibility and profit studies for the projects which would declare an impossible rate of return and development for the country。 This was mainly done to justify the need for the project in the eyes of the world and in the eyes of the public which would ultimately pay the price of these projects for generations to come。 Some leaders would not fall for it。 Then the de facto method applied which was to co-opt the leadership of these nations by offering them monetary and other rewards at the expense of the finances of their own countries。So what do we learn from the above methodologies？1。 The Economic Data is not to be trusted。 It can be manipulated to show the results one desire。 Since there are no consequences to economists when their predictions fail。 In the words of Nassim Nicholas Taleb， they have no skin in the game。 Hence， such data are never to be trusted to be the sole guide in decision-making。 They also don't factor in the emotional and personal variables in their economic models。2。 The Foreign Invisible Hand is always in action。 Even during the time when social media was not a quick source of news， there were many corners of the world where people whispered about foreign interference。 The cold war with its proxy war tactics was the epitome of such actions。 Yet even after the dismantling of the USSR， the USA did not curl back its tentacles from the countries it had seemingly used to counter the USSR's influence。 It did， however， change its tactic from direct political interference to the coercion of political leaders through economic institutions。Reader wise:The history of the world saw the advent of the foreign hand with the beginning of age of exploration。 The western world always had the economic aspect as its goal in all its exploration expeditions。 The next step was always interfering in the politics of the new land in order to further their own interests。 Then came the era of imperialism and colonialism which saw its public demise post world war but rose from its ashes in the form of neo-colonialism， spearheaded by multinational corporations and institutions。The story is obviously catered to a western audience， especially those that reside in or belong to the United States of America。 The past few decades have found the winds of global opinion changing from being the flatterer of the flagbearer of freedom to being hawking about the soaring bald eagle。 The promises of freedom have turned out to be a change of ownership for a lot of countries and their people。 And similar to a murder mystery， one has to wonder who benefits the most。The story may also be read as a statement of vindication to citizens of many developing countries including India， that had to pay a hefty price for global strategies around the oil which eventually led to its Balance of payment crisis in 1990 and the eventual opening up of the economy to the western world in 1991 through international loans。 There is an innate dread that foreign countries derive economic benefits by destabilising developing nations or creating rifts between two or more developing nations in their region to maintain their own balance of power on the global scale。Even at present several projects are being adopted by several countries that rely on foreign loans and without the projected benefit will hang around the countries' necks like dead albatross。 There would be nothing for the country to do other than hand over its resources to the lenders and lose ownership of its own land and people for serving the burgeoning debt burdens。Message wise:The author mentions in the book that this writing was long overdue but that he was so engulfed in this corporate world， which had already utilised his character flaws to rope him into this lifestyle。 The book is written as the first step in atonement as through penning down this story he is able to make people aware of the deceptions of corporations and their ruling elite。 This will enable them to eventually protest/change the status quo。The book was first published in 2004 and if the aftermath of the September 2001 was unable to change people's attitude， it is hard to expect a generation so far removed from the Cold War to learn from its lessons。 Even after 2004 we continue to have civil wars in several African countries， and political instability in West Asia and Afghanistan。 The most recent Russia-Ukraine conflict should probably thank the nexus of the corporate world and the bureaucracy for its longevity。 。。。more

Nina ，

This book is much needed - it shows exactly how we are digging our own graves。 Traveling to the countries mentioned （Ecuador， Indonesia， Colombia， Venezuela） shows exactly what consumerism/capitalism/big Global Empire prioritization results in - natural disasters， bankrupt developing countries， and starving human beings。Reading this book should be mandatory for all university students， and everyone thinking of their career in 'business development， consulting global economics'。The world is as we This book is much needed - it shows exactly how we are digging our own graves。 Traveling to the countries mentioned （Ecuador， Indonesia， Colombia， Venezuela） shows exactly what consumerism/capitalism/big Global Empire prioritization results in - natural disasters， bankrupt developing countries， and starving human beings。Reading this book should be mandatory for all university students， and everyone thinking of their career in 'business development， consulting global economics'。The world is as we dream it。 And currently， the dream is more like a nightmare。I loved the book - it is a page-turner。 Appreciate the action items at the end - what we can do today， so our kids have a better future， and how to maybe not completely destroy the earth。 We only have one， and no amount of money， power and materialistic useless things can justify our destroying。 。。。more

Kyle ，

I wanted more of the actual details of his job as an arms-length fixer for American empire and corporations， and less of him having the same revelations about his complicity and guilt over and over。 Also the conversations he has are way too neat and thematic， probably they happened more or less like that， and I'm not objecting to them being made up， just that some more verisimilitude would have made it a lot more pleasant of a read。 I wanted more of the actual details of his job as an arms-length fixer for American empire and corporations， and less of him having the same revelations about his complicity and guilt over and over。 Also the conversations he has are way too neat and thematic， probably they happened more or less like that， and I'm not objecting to them being made up， just that some more verisimilitude would have made it a lot more pleasant of a read。 。。。more

Tyler ，

The book does have some interesting insights; however， it mainly focuses on the authors guilt and inward self-discontent。 As the title implies， this book is more of a diary。 Although it does expose some truths in our world， the repetitive sense of guilt and pessimistic world view becomes tedious。

Ian Evancho ，

if you want to know why every injustice in the modern world exists， read this book。 we are the bad guys。 we are not free， and what our country has done globally in the name of corporate profit is so disgusting i cannot put it into words。 this book portrays REAL terrorism and how American banks， corporations， and the government engage it in freely。 i knew it was bad， but this book shook me to my core。

tpg0 ，

As an AI language model， I don't have personal opinions， beliefs or feelings。 However， I can provide an overview of the book， "Confessions of an Economic Hit Man"。 "Confessions of an Economic Hit Man" is a book by John Perkins， in which he describes his experiences working as an "economic hit man" to corrupt governments and advance the interests of the United States corporations。 Perkins argues that these actions are done to maintain the US economic dominance and that they result in crushing the local economies of recipient countries。 Perkins worked for a consulting firm that was hired by the US government， corporations and international organizations。 He traveled around the world， meeting with government officials and convincing them to take on large infrastructure projects that， in reality， they could not afford。 These projects were financed by international loans， which would create a massive debt and force the country to repay it by giving up control of their resources。 The book's focus is on explaining how a small group of powerful people can influence the course of entire countries and the consequences of such actions。 It offers an insight into the dark side of global capitalism and the ways in which economic policies can harm some of the world's poorest countries。 "Confessions of an Economic Hit Man" is a controversial book that has sparked debates about the role of the US in the global economy and the impact of its policies and actions on other countries。 Overall， it provides a thought-provoking narrative about how power and money can be used to control the fate of nations。

tpg1 ，

As an AI language model， I don't have personal opinions or experiences to share， but I can provide you with a brief overview of 'Confessions of an Economic Hit Man。' 'Confessions of an Economic Hit Man' is a book written by John Perkins， published in 2004。 The book narrates the author's experiences as an economic hit man （EHM） for a consulting firm called Chas。 T。 Main。 EHMs are hired by governments or corporations to convince foreign governments to invest heavily in infrastructure projects that lead to economic development but also leave the countries with mountains of debt， which they are unable to pay back。 Perkins writes that EHMs use fraudulent economic models， pressure， bribery， and even threats to convince leaders in developing countries to take out loans for large infrastructure projects。 For instance， the loans used to fund projects like dams， highways， and airports benefit mainly the foreign contractors and allied governments， while the vital needs of the local population are ignored。 The result is that these countries can never repay the debt and thus become subjects to their lenders。 The book is an eye-opening and thought-provoking memoir that challenges readers' understanding of politics， economics， and social justice。 Its message is that the global economic system is rigged in favor of large corporations， corrupt governments， and wealthy elites at the expense of the poor， and the environment。 Many readers found the book eye-opening and insightful about the ways corporations and governments exerted control and influence at the expense of both indigenous people and democracy。

tpg2 ，

As an AI language model， I am not capable of having opinions or personal preferences。 However， I can provide information on the book 'Confessions of an Economic Hit Man'。 'Confessions of an Economic Hit Man' is a book written by John Perkins， published in 2004。 It reveals the experiences of the author who worked as an economic hit man （EHM）， promoting American business interests abroad using tactics such as bribery， debt trapping， and other forms of economic coercion。 The book tells of how the author and his colleagues convinced foreign governments to accept huge loans for infrastructure development projects that would primarily benefit large US corporations rather than the local population。 The book also portrays the darker sides of US foreign policy， including the overthrow of governments and the assassinations of foreign leaders who opposed American interests。 The book has been both praised and criticized for its accuracy and the author's motives。 While some reviewers argue that the book provides an essential and revealing insight into the workings of the global economy and American foreign policy， others claim that it is excessively sensationalist and lacks supporting evidence。 Overall， 'Confessions of an Economic Hit Man' is a thought-provoking book， which raises important questions about the ethics of globalization and the role of big corporations in international affairs。

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Reference

google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=Confessions of an Economic Hit Man

hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=Confessions of an Economic Hit Man&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft

The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,Confessions of an Economic Hit Man&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0