The New Confessions of an Economic Hit Man

A great book, well written, and it was an eye opener as to how geopolitics is intertwined with industry. Very educational.

This book should be required reading in every government economics class. Every American citizen should read this book to better understand how our government operates behind the scenes. It is shocking to say the least. A must read!

I’ve had this book sitting on my iPhone for a while, and finally I pushed myself to read it. For that I’m glad, for it’s a very good book. It’s an important book. Confessions of an Economic Hit Man by John Perkins share many similarities with the books of F. William Engdahl, especially Myths, Lies, and Oil Wars, but there are also differences. I’ll get back to where the two men disagree. Both are history books. They explain why and how the world turned into what it is today, the political landscape, the war about resources, all the money-grabbing schemes, the problem with the money system of today, and why the rich are getting richer while the poor are turning into slaves. Just like the spice merchants of old, the oil companies have a lot of power. Enough money and power to shape the world around them. Perkins talks about «corporatocracy». How the megacorporations rule the world. They choose the politicians, not the other way around. They control the narrative, and they trick the people to think they have democracy. They send out their hit men, the EHMs, they own the banks, the government. They decide what kind of money system we are forced to use. Go against them, and you risk ending up having an «accident». Originally I was going to rate the book five stars, but there are inconsistencies, factual errors, and spelling errors. Where Engdahl is clear about the origins of oil and gas, Perkins for some reason uses Big Oil’s own term Fossil Fuels. That term, alongside Peak Oil, was coined by Rockefeller, to create an illusion of scarcity, while in reality oil and gas will keep bubbling up from the deep as long as the Earth has a liquid metal core. I also wonder if Perkins is aware that mankind always has, and probably always will, exist within the Quaternary ice age? Ice ages last for millions of years, and while we’re lucky to live within an interglacial, the Quaternary isn’t likely to end anytime during the next hundred million years. He talks about CO2 and climate change, and it’s really confusing. Doesn’t he know who stood behind the Neo-Malthusian Club of Rome? A warm and green world is the best we can hope for, but scared people are always easier to rule. Perkins calls them Death and Life economies, but isn’t it really about Keynesian and the Austrian Economics? One creates hyper-inflation and regularly crashing markets, making the rich richer and the poor poorer, while the other is stable and fair, with no need for a money monopoly. While less important, there are also a few spelling errors. Sometimes our planet is called «earth» and at other times «Earth». Name of planets shall of course have a capital first letter. «Flammable» should be «inflammable» (see the writer’s bible «Elements of Style»). When talking about percentages one should choose between the forms «five percent» and «5 %». Don’t mix them. There are many more, but I’ll stop there. If you’ve read this book, don’t stop there. I also recommend Engdahl’s Myths, Lies, and Oil Wars, and Fraudcoin by Rune Østgård. These books are telling you what’s really going on.

Fascinating book. You get a blend of history, geopolitics, economics, and the personal journey of an economic hit man. Very well written. Easy to follow. Full of information for those of us that love true history (not the whitewashed garbage the Department of Education has been feeding the public for so long). Enjoyed this book thoroughly and I can see why it’s been such a bestseller for so long

Good book to make sense of all the economic activities of IMF and the World Bank, etc.

Great and informative book

Must read if any interest in global economics and politics!

Confessions of an Economic Hit Man is one of those rare books that fundamentally changes how you see the world. John Perkins offers a gripping, first-person account of how economic leverage, debt, and development “aid” have been used as tools of influence and control in developing countries. What makes this book so powerful isn’t just the subject matter—it’s the fact that Perkins writes as an insider who once participated in the system he now exposes. The narrative is part memoir, part geopolitical analysis, and part moral reckoning. Perkins explains complex financial and political mechanisms in clear, accessible language, making it easy for readers without an economics background to understand how massive infrastructure loans, inflated projections, and corporate interests intertwine with foreign policy. At the same time, the book remains deeply personal, showing his internal struggle and eventual decision to speak out. Some readers may debate certain claims, but even skeptics will find this book thought-provoking and well worth their time. It forces you to question mainstream narratives about “development,” “aid,” and “globalization,” and encourages a more critical, informed view of international affairs. For anyone interested in economics, diplomacy, history, or power politics, this is essential reading. It’s engaging, unsettling, and unforgettable.

Great book to learn about empires

This is an excellent read. John Perkins has a style which includes us, his readers, in intimate conversations with men and women of huge power and influence. He shares with us his intimate knowledge of the international power brokers who dictated the course of history. John Perkins was a part of that brokerage and in this third edition of his confessions, he speaks to us, and shares with us an unparalleled insight and knowledge into what can be described as conspiracy fact enacted on a global scale. John concludes his book with many ideas on how we, the readers can help ourselves and our friends to combat feelings of impotency in the face of the economic structures which are killing our planet. I give John hearty thanks for his courage, honesty and tenacity in the writing of this brilliantly written book. Thank you John.

Great book

An exceptional book. A must read

Where do I begin… if you are interested in learning how corporations and the US government make things happen around the world, read this. It’s an essential read.