"A sweeping, bold assault on the tyranny of corporate globalization, full of drama and adventure, with devastating stories of greed run wild."
--Howard Zinn, author of A People’s History of the United States
"Perkins is both alarming and entertaining, writing with the cuttingprecision and wit of a hard-boiled novelist."
--Rocky Mountain News
Former Economic Hit Man John Perkins goes behind the scenes of the current geopolitical crisis and offers bold solutions to our most pressing problems. Drawing on his own experiences as well as interviews with other EHMs, jackals, CIA operatives, reporters, businessmen, and activists, Perkins reveals the conspiracy of corruption that has fueled instability and anti-Americanism around the globe, with consequences reflected in our daily headlines. Having raised the alarm, Perkins passionately addresses how Americans can work to create a more peaceful and stable world for future generations.
Acknowledgments
A Note from theAuthor
Prologue
Part 1: Asia
Mystery Woman of Jakarta
Pirating Lepers
Geishas
The Bugiman
A Corrupt and Brutal Country
Sweatshops
United States-Supported Slaughter
Tsunami Profiteering
Fruits of Corruption
Attacked and Beaten in Indonesia
Don’t Become a Buddhist
Biological Imperatives
Dictatorships of Finance
The Quiet Giant
Part 2: Latin America
Hired Guns in Guatemala
Obsessed with Anger
Recruited as President of Bolivia Power
Maximizing Profits in La Paz
Changing the Dream
Venezuela’s Chavez
Ecuador: Betrayed by a President
Bolivia: Bechtel and the Water Wars
Brazil: Skeletons in the Closet
The Beautiful Carioca
Taking on the Empire
Kindred Spirits
A History of Assassinations
Lessons from Latin America
Part 3: The Middle East
A Bankrupt United States of America
King Dollar
Manipulating Governments
Lebanon: "Stark Raving Mad"
USAID Speaks
Egypt: Controlling Africa
Infidel Dog
Iran: Highways and Fortresses
Israel: America’s Foot Soldier
The Iraq-Iran War: Another EHM Victory
Qatar and Dubai: Las Vegas in the Land of Mullahs
Into the Abyss
Part 4: Africa
Modern Conquistadors
Sitting in America’s Lap
A Jackal Is Born
The "Non-Peoples" of Diego Garcia
Assassinating a President
The Highjacking of an Air India 7o7
An Environmentalist Is Executed
The Least Understood Continent
NGOs: A Stake in Keeping Africa Poor
Laptops, Cell Phones, and Cars
Ex-Peace Corps Volunteers Offer Hope
Resolved: To Turn Things Around
Part 5: Changing the World
Four Essential Questions
Change Is Possible
Modern Minutemen
Changing the Myth
The New Capitalism
A List of Grievances
Facing Our Fears
Changing Wall Street Through Financial Leverage
Buying OffThird-world Debt
Five Commonalities
Times of Opportunity
The Most Important Question of Our Time
Today Is the Day
Appendix A: Organizations Described in This Book
Appendix B: Entry Points for Living Democracy
Appendix C: Recommended Reading
Notes
Index