Review: The New Confessions of an Economic Hit Man

“The New Confessions of an Economic Hit Man” is the updated and expanded version of the New York Times bestseller, “Confessions of an Economic Hit Man,” which was originally released in 2004. The 2016 edition of the book features several new chapters highlighting the work of EHMs, or Economic Hit Man, in the 12 years since the book was first published. The new chapters cover topics such as the 2009 financial crisis, Honduras, and China’s burgeoning use of the EHM system. Whether or not you’ve read the 2006 book, I highly recommend the 2016 edition.

A Must-Read For Those Who Want to Understand Why the World is the Way It Is

John Perkins, a former EHM, defines EHMs as “highly paid professionals who cheat countries around the globe out of trillions of dollars.” If you ever wondered why it seemed like big multinational corporations were always behind conflict and human rights violations happening around the world, the EHM system is why. It’s not just a coincidence.

Take Honduras in 2009 as an example. President Manuel Zelaya was overthrown in a coup. The United States didn’t call it a coup, unlike the rest of the world, because Zelaya was trying to subvert Honduras’ constitution to extend his term as president. The U.S. also didn’t want to call it a coup because a coup would mean we’d have to cut off aid to the country, and we couldn’t have that happen, but that’s not in the book.

What Perkins does say in the book is that Zelaya was ousted because he wanted to raise the minimum wage by 60 percent. His conversations with NGO leaders in the region and Honduran residents revealed they were convinced Zelaya was removed from power because his advocacy to increase the minimum wage angered the Dole Fruit Company and Chiquita Brands International, both U.S.-based corporations. Not only would a higher minimum wage means less profits for them, but it would mean higher minimum wages across the region, and ultimately less profits for many other multinationals.

It’s not simply that other countries choose not to pay their citizens a living wage, or have a lower cost or standard a living to justify a lower wage. Companies have a strong vested interest to keep wages low and do whatever it takes to maintain the status quo.

Honduras in 2009 is just one recent example of how the EHM system has shaped global politics, economics and the trajectory of countries. The book illustrates many more examples, starting in the 1970s and moving through modern history.

“New Confessions of an Economic Hit Man” is an Eye-Opener for Peace Activists

On the one hand, the events mentioned in the book and the author’s retelling of those events might not be all that surprising. Both Omar Torrijos of Panama and Jaime Roldos of Ecuador were murdered by the CIA? Not too surprising. Everything going on in Iraq today happened because of a failure of the EHM system? News outlets reported years ago that the U.S.’ reasons for going into the country were a sham.

On the other hand, the surprising part of the book’s message is how much the EHM system has grown in recent years, both domestically and abroad. It’s no longer reserved for government agencies and a few big consulting firms. Multinational corporations do it themselves and hire their own EHMs and use the tactics of the system to influence Congress and foreign governments. The system is so big that many people don’t even realize they’re part of the EHM system. Even the pundits who spread lies on issues like a $15 minimum wage, or climate change, or immigration are part of the system because they ultimately participate in activities that keep the system intact.

Overall, “New Confessions of an Economic Hit Man” showcases what peace activists are really up against when advocating for a peace economy, or less war, or policies meant to lift people up instead of take advantage of them. There are many powerful interests that have every incentive to keep things the way they are, and getting more people to value peace over war isn’t enough. Achieving peace isn’t just the absence or the end of war. It’s transforming the way we do things politically and economically, institutionally and wholly, so we don’t perceive certain people, countries or regions of the world as pawns.

It’s not easy, and Perkins has now told his story twice, not counting his many speaking gigs or media appearances. But, one of the the things he suggests we can do to change things is to “keep telling a new story.” We can’t just say the current story, the death economy, is bad and we don’t like it. We have to tell a different story, share that story, and never stop.