Book Reviews
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Confessions of an Economic Hit Man
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Reviewed by Lily Bond
Arrogant Americans wonder why the rest of the world hates their leaders and their foreign policy. The book Confessions of an Economic Hit Man by John Perkins (Ebury Press, London, 2006, 250 pages) tells us why.
The book came to me recommended by a friend. Reading it made me so angry that I snapped at my husband for breathing. My reaction was: why hasn’t this book been blazoned across continents and splashed about by the media until the world demands redress? Why haven’t nations called the US to account for economic, social and environmental havoc?
As a New Zealander, I’m fortunate. We can boast of jabbing a little thorn into Washington’s side. In 1984, my country became a nuclear-free zone. When the US refused to say if its ships carried nuclear arms, we banned them from our territorial waters.
Already holding a jaundiced view, I discovered that Confessions of an Economic Hit Man confirmed everything that I’d criticised the US for since I studied at university in the 1970s. This frightened and enraged me. We saw it, but let it happen.
Exploiting resources in Latin America, controlling governments in the Middle East, supporting murderous regimes like Pinochet’s in Chile, interfering in overseas affairs of state, ignoring crimes under Pol Pot in Cambodia, supplying weapons to spur instability, seeing good men and leaders opposed to US interests mysteriously killed – the list goes on. We saw it, but let it happen.
Perkins, an “economic hit man” with an international consulting firm from 1971-81, tells how he helped the US to cheat poor countries out of trillions of dollars by lending more than they could ever repay. Then the US could manipulate their governments and economies.
The author shares his struggles of conscience. He started the book several times, but always was dissuaded until inspired by the story of Paul Revere’s ride and the power of words in the US War of Independence. He hoped that words might inspire people to battle oppression again. Later the US government issued a disclaimer, deriding his book as “disinformation”.
Perhaps the writing style lacks polish. Maybe the story seems too subjective. But it makes me want to scream: “Let’s do something.” If you perceive the US as less than squeaky clean, then read Confessions of an Economic Hit Man. Together, we may change the world yet.
(August 20, 2006)
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