November 20, 2004: Headlines: COS - Ecuador: Writing - Ecuador: Development: Economics: Amazon: Reviews of Ecuador RPCV John Perkins writes "Confessions of an Economic Hit Man"
Peace Corps Online:
Directory:
Ecuador:
Special Report: Ecuador RPCV and Author John Perkins:
November 20, 2004: Headlines: COS - Ecuador: Writing - Ecuador: Development: Economics: Amazon: Reviews of Ecuador RPCV John Perkins writes "Confessions of an Economic Hit Man"
Reviews of Ecuador RPCV John Perkins writes "Confessions of an Economic Hit Man"
Reviews of Ecuador RPCV John Perkins writes "Confessions of an Economic Hit Man"
From Publishers Weekly
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.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Jim Garrison, author, America As Empire, President of the State of the World Forum
"John Perkins has written a book that shakes one's confidence in the ethics of the prevailing economic system."
Michael Brownstein, author of World on Fire
"Perkins narrates his moral awakening to break free from the corrupt system of global domination he himself helped to create."
Gary Margolis Ph.D., Director, Center for Counseling and Human Relations, Associate Professor of English, Middlebury College, author, Fire in the Orchard and Falling Awake
"This book is Perkins' story, that through necessity and courage offers us a way back, beyond salvation, to human justice."
Hazel Henderson, author of Beyond Globalization and Building a Win-Win World
"Must reading for those who know another world is possible!"
David Korten, author of the bestselling When Corporations Rule the World
"… true, powerful, revealing, and bone chilling personal story that names names and connects the dots . . . "
Dragonfly Review, November 2004
An adventure thriller that connects the dots between corporate globalization, American Empire, and the dynasty of the House of Bush.
About the Author
John Perkins is founder and president of the Dream Change Coalition, which works closely with Amazonian and other indigenous people to help preserve their environments and cultures. He was previously founder and CEO of Independent Power Systems, an alternative energy provider. From 1971 to 1981 he worked for the international consulting firm of Chas. T. Main, where he became Chief Economist and Director of Economics and Regional Planning. He is the author of five books, including Spirit of the Shuar: Wisdom from the Last Unconquered People of the Amazon.
Product Description:
Confessions of an Economic Hit Man reveals a game that, according to John Perkins, is "as old as Empire" but has taken on new and terrifying dimensions in an era of globalization. And Perkins should know. For many years he worked for an international consulting firm where his main job was to convince LDCs (less developed countries) around the world to accept multibillion-dollar loans for infrastructure projects and to see to it that most of this money ended up at Halliburton, Bechtel, Brown and Root, and other United States engineering and construction companies. This book, which many people warned Perkins not to write, is a blistering attack on a little-known phenomenon that has had dire consequences on both the victimized countries and the U.S.
When this story was posted in November 2004, this was on the front page of PCOL:
| The Birth of the Peace Corps UMBC's Shriver Center and the Maryland Returned Volunteers hosted Scott Stossel, biographer of Sargent Shriver, who spoke on the Birth of the Peace Corps. This is the second annual Peace Corps History series - last year's speaker was Peace Corps Director Jack Vaughn. |
| Charges possible in 1976 PCV slaying Congressman Norm Dicks has asked the U.S. attorney in Seattle to consider pursuing charges against Dennis Priven, the man accused of killing Peace Corps Volunteer Deborah Gardner on the South Pacific island of Tonga 28 years ago. Background on this story here and here. |
| Director Gaddi Vasquez: The PCOL Interview PCOL sits down for an extended interview with Peace Corps Director Gaddi Vasquez. Read the entire interview from start to finish and we promise you will learn something about the Peace Corps you didn't know before.
Plus the debate continues over Safety and Security. |
Read the stories and leave your comments.
Some postings on Peace Corps Online are provided to the individual members of this group without permission of the copyright owner for the non-profit purposes of criticism, comment, education, scholarship, and research under the "Fair Use" provisions of U.S. Government copyright laws and they may not be distributed further without permission of the copyright owner. Peace Corps Online does not vouch for the accuracy of the content of the postings, which is the sole responsibility of the copyright holder.
Story Source: Amazon
This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Ecuador; Writing - Ecuador; Development; Economics
PCOL14898
96
.