Confessions of an Economic Hit Man by John Perkins Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Confessions of an Economic Hit Man
Book Review: A Rare Conscience in the American Empire
Summary: 5 Stars
Thank you John Perkins for your insight into what the American Empire is doing to the world. It's refreshing to take a break from the TV network propaganda and get some real scoop about our own country. In fact, one of my favorite parts of your book is the following: "...We have such difficulty listening to the real story. We prefer to believe the myth that thousands of years of human social evolution has finally perfected the ideal economic system, rather than to face the fact we have merely bought into a false concept and accepted it as gospel". Because you see, Mr. Perkins, your description of the immense subtlety involved in the economic hit man business is the very cunning process referred to in Alexis De Tocqueville's book, "Democracy in America" when he writes that civilization has perfected despotism. This process is better explained in the book, Don't Weep for Me, America: How Democracy in America Became the Prince (While We Slept) May everyone read your book, and may everyone understand that the details are not the point.
Book Review: Shaken, not stirred, then tossed over your shoulder for good measure
Summary: 1 Stars
I don't doubt the main premise behind this book: the world financial market and leading financial institutions seek to dominate emerging markets to maximize profit for their own gain. I also don't deny the very real historical facts covered in places such as Latin America and Indonesia. But to call this piece of work "history" is a farce.
The picture Perkins of himself seems part Bourne, part Bond. It is fanciful, generalized, and darkly romantic. It lacks the unmistakable flavor of truth.
In his Q & A that follows the novel, he responds to whether or not he fears for his life since he divulged so much information. To which he replies (and to paraphrase), his death would lead to more copies of his book being sold, thus more publicity about the evil empire seeking to crush the little people of this world.
Book Review: The dark side of our contemporary empire
Summary: 5 Stars
The British wore their empire proudly, we as Americans try to deny our dark side. Whether you finally choose to play down this dark side or come to the conclusion that things must change, you should at least read this insider's story and weigh his conclusions.
What this story reveals is painful at times, but Perkins writes with an engaging and deeply personal style. What some reviewers are interpreting as egoistic actually is breaking new ground. His work is a twist on the traditional Calvinistic "confessional" tract: a call for a secular spirituality that can embrace and make demands on capitalism for the sake of democracy.
It is hard not to feel jealous of Perkins, however, as he travels the globe with all his power, money, and privilege. It is as if he is a successful Faust: he made his bargain with the devil and yet has never had to pay his pound of flesh.
Perhaps he has now made a bargain with the Light Side to speak and write and lead us all to find a better way. He's got his work cut out for him, since most of us participate in some way in the present system. We all need conversions. I basically trust the guy, but each reader must reach his/her own very personal judgments about his story.
The way to read his story is with an open mind and heart: does what he is saying help to explain things you have read and seen? What defensive reactions are you experiencing and why? What inner work do you need to do to free yourself from the mentalities of empire? Or would you rather go on denying, willing to make the compromises of a hitman even though the world has had enough of that game?
Or, perhaps, his piece of the puzzle is too dark, too one-sided, or not exactly what we need as a world right now? Is the truth too hard to stomach, or can it motivate us to change? Those who disagree with Perkin's call to change need to come up with their own way to understand the failures of the West in our engagements around the world. The statistics of failure are too stark. The cries of anger and pain are too clear.
Just as our international corporations have pillaged other countries, this same corporations-government has blatantly pillaged us in Iraq. I was deeply offended as an American citizen by the irresponsible "use" of money. Their(our) behavior made it clear to me before I even read this book that this was business as usual for them, so I was not surprised by John's confession. Much of what John reveals is actually crying out in the newspapers and around us day after day.
Ultimately, this is a book about spirituality. If we reflect deeply on what each of us have experienced, read, seen, and know about the present state of our society, and our corporate, governmental, and institutional culture, we have to admit that we have slid down the wrong track over the last decades and need to embrace change with courage, a clean heart, and a new commitment to our deepest principles and values.
Book Review: Lunch with this egomaniacal con-man would be a total nightmare
Summary: 2 Stars
I picked up the book in Abu Dhabi, where it was prominently displayed in that corpotacracy Western cultural imperialist bastion the "Virgin Megastore"... in Abu Dhabi Mall (built by Australian imperialist construction firms!!!)
While I found part of the book interesting (he is a good storyteller, and his accounts of Trujillo in Panama in particular are fascinating) the book was incredibly disappointing as a whole.
This is due primarily to:
1. The lack of any substantive facts about his "EHM" work or the results of it, for which we are left to simply take him at his word;
2. His deeply self-centered and dangerously oversimplified notions of how the world economy works, colored with further personal narratives of dubious factual quality and very weak sourcing; and
3. The relentless self-aggrandizing and redemption-seeking that just kills the style and completely erodes his credibility.
As a memoir naturally whole book is about the author, John Perkins, but this does not keep him from including an additional 4-page timeline of his life and his achievements, and 3 more pages about... himself. I mean, this guy has such an ego I am certain having lunch with him would be a nightmare, just from reading the book.
Throughout the whole book, Perkins dubiously links himself to major world events, another reflection of his pathologically self centered world-view.
In the chapter "Pimping and Financing Osama bin Laden", he somehow links his brief and negligible work in Saudi arranging an escort for an unnamed member of the royal family to Osama bin Laden.
He links himself an his work to Osama via... a US News and World Report article and another article in Vanity Fair - which he probably picked up at a supermarket check-out isle.
Overall the book weaves a decent story and provides an interesting look at some of the many evils of US foreign policy - but it is by no means credible, and by no means well balanced or complete.
Perkins, based on his numerous other titles on Amazonian spirituality et al, may have had a bit much ayahuasca to remember all of the events clearly enough and as such, his book makes for a bit of a waste of time compared to the many other titles on the subject.
Book Review: A good read despite the author's ego
Summary: 4 Stars
This was my first introduction to the dark side of globalization, so I was fascinated with the stories despite the author's obvious love affair with himself. I have read some of the other reviews attacking the book's credibility, but I believe that the despicable interventions into developing economies to make a quick buck are real. Why wouldn't they be? We see that sort of slash-and-burn capitalism rewarded every day in the US. Companies are bought, sold, and merged with no regard for peoples' jobs or local economies. Shareholders and CEOs are the only concern. I started with Perkins' other book on the topic, The Secret History of the American Empire, which is more of the same.
That said, it is really important for smart people to start reading credible accounts of the failure of Chicago School economics, which will be revealed as one of the biggest frauds of our day and a true threat to democracy. Selfishness wins in the short term, but true self interest dictates that we invest in fair play, sharing resources, and placing justice above all. In the long run, the success of the community benefits the individual the most. Market forces do not naturally tend toward peace and equal rights, which people universally demand and deserve. Sorry to ruin the frat party.