Confessions of an Economic Hitman reads like an indictment of “The Man”, complete with the familiar counterculture refrain: Think about the world. Read between the lines. And most important of all, question everything. It’s easy to see how this book has been labeled as a book focused on conspiracy theory; however the author is clear that it isn’t a cabal of plotters, but rather something else entirely - a warning about what our society is becoming. Though the message is common in fiction, this book insists it is fact.

The last three books I’ve read have had something odd in common: they refer to America as an empire. This is particularly surprising because they were not selected for that quality. The first book was selected because I liked Ender’s Game, and the only Orson Scott Card audiobook at the library was his Empire. Then, I devoured a Tom Clancy spy thriller in a fit of boredom. The final book, I didn’t choose at all - I was bored and picked up a book laying around the house. That’s how I ended up with Confessions of an Economic Hitman.

The “something else” that the author, John Perkins, reveals in Confessions of an Economic Hitman, is a collection of the erroneous assumptions we hold, and the actions that result from them. He points out, for example, that while economic growth is assumed to be good, the bombing and subsequent rebuilding of a city can be the cause of that growth. He also mentions several political figures in passages that carry the tone of indictments, but almost none of the book describes any illegal action. In fact, a key point that the author makes is that even though the events described in the book are immoral, they remain legal.

Anyway, I enjoyed the book quite a bit. There was a bit of a thrill in reading a book that the State Department has issue with, and while I don’t actually know whether the book is fact, fiction, or a blend of the two, I don’t think it matters. Taken as fact it’s a fascinating insight into the inner workings of foreign aid and nation-building; and if fiction it’s an important reminder that good intentions can pave the way for terrible results.

Image source: Amazon

Filed under: Books — Max @ 6:25 pm