Confessions of an economic hit man

Format:

Book

Title:

Confessions of an economic hit man

Author:

Perkins, John, 1945-

ISBN:

9781576753019

9780452287082

Edition:

1st ed.

Publication:

San Francisco : Berrett-Koehler Publishers, [2004]

Physical Description:

xxi, 250 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm.

Series title(s):

BK currents book.

Contents:

1963-1971 -- An economic hit man is born -- "In for life" -- Indonesia: lessons for an EHM -- Saving a country from communism -- Selling my soul -- 1971-1975 -- My role as inquisitor -- Civilization on trial -- Jesus, seen differently -- Opportunity of a lifetime -- Panama's president and hero -- Pirates in the Canal Zone -- Soldiers and prostitutes -- Conversations with the general -- Entering a new and sinister period in economic history -- The Saudi Arabian money-laundering affair -- Pimping, and financing Osama bin Laden -- 1975-1981 -- Panama Canal negotiations and Graham Greene -- Iran's king of kings -- Confessions of a tortured man -- The fall of a king -- Colombia: keystone of Latin America -- American republic versus global empire -- The deceptive résumé -- Ecuador's president battles big oil -- I quit -- 1981-present -- Ecuador's presidential death -- Panama: another presidential death -- My energy company, Enron, and George W. Bush -- I take a bribe -- The United States invades Panama -- An EHM failure in Iraq -- September 11 and its aftermath for me, personally -- Venezuela: saved by Saddam -- Ecuador revisited -- Piercing the veneer.

Summary:

A former consultant to the U.S. government reveals the inner workings of the high-stakes economic game that encourages Third World economies to borrow money so that major corporations like Halliburton end up getting the contracts.

Personal Subject:

Perkins, John, 1945-

Perkins, John, 1945- (OCoLC)fst00507877

Corporate Subject:

United States. National Security Agency -- Biography.

Chas. T. Main, Inc.

World Bank -- Developing countries.

Chas. T. Main, Inc. (OCoLC)fst00567496

United States. National Security Agency. (OCoLC)fst00529218

World Bank. (OCoLC)fst00531892

Subject(s):

United States. National Security Agency -- Biography.

Chas. T. Main, Inc.

World Bank -- Developing countries.

Economists -- United States -- Biography.

Energy consultants -- United States -- Biography.

Intelligence officers -- United States -- Biography.

Corporations, American -- Foreign Countries.

Corporations, American -- Corrupt practices.

Imperialism -- History -- 20th century.

Imperialism -- History -- 21st century.

Geographic Term:

Developing countries.

Genre:

Electronic Access:

Connect to this resource online
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nndAWd6w7xo

Holds:

Available:*

Library	Call Number	Status
Searching... Monmouth Public Library	921 Perkins, J. 2005	Searching... Unknown
Searching... West Salem Branch Library	921 Perkins, John 2004	Searching... Unknown

Bound With These Titles

On Order

Summary

Economic hit men are highly paid professionals who cheat countries out of trillions of dollars. They funnel World Bank, government and foreign aid funds into the coffers of international businesses and a few wealthy families. Their tools include fraudulent financial reports, rigged elections, payoffs, extortion and murder.John Perkins was one of these hit men, and his first-hand account contains explosive revelations on Asian, Middle Eastern and Latin American hotspots. He discloses the clandestine support received by Osama bin Laden as well as little-known facts about the relationship between the two most powerful dynasties in the world: the Bush family and the House of Saud. Confessions is a riveting book that reads like a classic spy novel.

Author Notes

John Perkins was born on January 28, 1945 in Hanover, New Hampshire. He attended Brown University, and Boston University School of Management during the 1960s. His best-known book is Confessions of an Economic Hit Man (2004), an insider's account of the exploitation or neo-colonization of Third World countries by what Perkins describes as a cabal of corporations, banks, and the United States government.

His 2007 book, The Secret History of the American Empire, provides more evidence of the negative impact of global corporations on the economies and ecologies of poor countries, as well as offering suggestions for making corporations behave more like good citizens.

Since the late 1980's he has been heavily involved with non-profit organizations in Ecuador and around the world.

(Bowker Author Biography)

Reviews (2)

Publisher's Weekly Review

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. (Nov.) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Library Journal Review

According to Perkins, a former Economic Hit Man and founding president of Dream Change Coalition, "Economic hit men (EHMs) are highly paid professionals who cheat countries around the globe out of trillions of dollars. They funnel money from the World Bank, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and other ?foreign aid' organizations into the coffers of huge corporations and the pockets of a few wealthy families who control the planet's natural resources." Perkins began this book in the early 1980s but claims to have put it aside owing to threats and bribes. Perkins's daughter Jessica finally inspired him to finish it by declaring, "Don't worry dad. If they get you, I'll take over where you left off. We need to do this for the grandchildren I hope to give you someday." This riveting look at a world of intrigue reads like a spy novel. Perkins vividly recounts his work throughout the world, from Saudi Arabia to Panama to Ecuador, and introduces such characters as Panamanian president Omar Torrijos, who became a personal friend. Highly recommended for both academic and public libraries.-Lucy Heckman, St. John's Univ. Lib., Jamaica, NY (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Preface	p. ix
Prologue	p. xvi
Part I 1963-1971
1 An Economic Hit Man Is Born	p. 3
2 "In for Life"	p. 12
3 Indonesia: Lessons for an EHM	p. 20
4 Saving a Country from Communism	p. 23
5 Selling My Soul	p. 28
Part II 1971-1975
6 My Role as Inquisitor	p. 37
7 Civilization on Trial	p. 42
8 Jesus, Seen Differently	p. 47
9 Opportunity of a Lifetime	p. 52
10 Panama's President and Hero	p. 58
11 Pirates in the Canal Zone	p. 63
12 Soldiers and Prostitutes	p. 67
13 Conversations with the General	p. 71
14 Entering a New and Sinister Period in Economic History	p. 76
15 The Saudi Arabian Money-laundering Affair	p. 81
16 Pimping, and Financing Osama bin Laden	p. 93
Part III 1975-1981
17 Panama Canal Negotiations and Graham Greene	p. 101
18 Iran's King of Kings	p. 108
19 Confessions of a Tortured Man	p. 113
20 The Fall of a King	p. 117
21 Colombia: Keystone of Latin America	p. 120
22 American Republic versus Global Empire	p. 124
23 The Deceptive Resume	p. 131
24 Ecuador's President Battles Big Oil	p. 141
25 I Quit	p. 146
Part IV 1981-Present
26 Ecuador's Presidential Death	p. 153
27 Panama: Another Presidential Death	p. 158
28 My Energy Company, Enron, and George W. Bush	p. 162
29 I Take a Bribe	p. 167
30 The United States Invades Panama	p. 173
31 An EHM Failure in Iraq	p. 182
32 September 11 and its Aftermath for Me, Personally	p. 189
33 Venezuela: Saved by Saddam	p. 196
34 Ecuador Revisited	p. 203
35 Piercing the Veneer	p. 211
Epilogue	p. 221
John Perkins Personal History	p. 226
Notes	p. 230
Index	p. 240
About the Author	p. 248

Available:*

Bound With These Titles

On Order

Summary

Summary

Author Notes

Reviews (2)

Publisher's Weekly Review

Library Journal Review

Table of Contents