Confessions
of an Economic Hit Man explores the
ways political and economic power have been wielded to ensure an increasing
concentration of wealth and power in a handful of countries, including the
United States. John Perkins, the
author, presents this through recollections of his own time as a so-called
‘Economic Hit Man’ or EHM. His principal
role was to convince the leaders of developing nations that the best course of
action involved significant infrastructure projects, financed by loans, and
built by U.S. engineering and construction firms. These projects ensured that development money
given these countries ultimately found its way back to the United States; the
public debt resulting from these projects insured that these countries leaders
remained compliant to North American and European political interests who could
enforce their will through the promise of aid and the possibility of loan
forgiveness.
Perkins does not explicitly make use
of a theological framework, and may even resent the effort to impose one;
however his work shares many concerns and likely even influences with South
American Liberation Theology. Perkins
focuses largely on systemic problems—he is careful to explain that even when he
was an EHM, he was not part of some vast conspiracy, but rather in a position
to see more explicitly the result of broad structures and systems. Additionally, he spent some time living with
indigenous peoples in Ecuador, and developed a relationship with Omar Torrijos
of Panama. These experiences may not
have a direct relationship to liberation theology, but at the very least show
that he was steeped in a common history.
Perkins also makes little explicit
mention of Africa, however the systems he draws attention to through accounts
of his work in South America and Asia operate throughout the world and are
relevant to all people, especially those working in development or concerned
about global poverty. CWS Africa is
aware of many of these issues, and focuses on sustainability and building community
resilience and capacity, rather than seeking to sell North Atlantic models of
living. This book complements work there
by providing an explicit framework for what CWS is trying to not do.
This text challenges readers,
particularly those from the United States and Western Europe to examine
carefully their beliefs about how aid and development work and who aid and
development projects really serve; it also challenges people to consider their
place in the global economic system. As
Perkins notes, there is no shadowy conspiracy pushing this agenda, rather it is
the result of deep set assumptions and structures. The individuals who sustain these structures
generally have little to no idea what they are doing, and many are even acting
with highly altruistic intentions, but because of a lack of critical
examination, those intentions do not lead to beneficial results. This has reinforced my awareness of the need
for careful consideration and extensive consultation with beneficiary
communities before undertaking any development project to insure that they are
really the ones benefitting the most, and also to deeply examine the
repercussions of my own daily purchasing decisions. This book issues a clarion call to the Church
and church leaders to work to break down these structures as a necessary
precursor to the coming of the Kingdom.
I actually gave this book to every
member of my immediate family for Christmas this past year, but most, if not
all people would benefit from reading it; these structures are so deeply set in
our consciousness that without regular and constant reminders, they may very
quickly disappear from consciousness.
