Confession of an Economic Hit Man by John Perkins (IRB TOW#21)

If the first half of the book can be described as to raise awareness, then the second half is definitely a call to action. Written only a decade ago, “Confession of an Economic Hit Man” is a telling tale and autobiography of John Perkins, an ex-schemer for the United States to raise the nation’s economic capital. The world Perkin experienced was bitter and cruel, filled with plots, deceptions, and calculations of self-interest. The symbol of liberty, the democratic nation of America, is not what Perkin sees. Perkins already made his readers aware of the Darwinian principle governing modern day society, and now he wants a change.

Perkins revelations appeal to readers worldwide. However, his call to action most directly put the responsibility on the citizens of America, as people of one of the leading nations in the present world.

Throughout the latter half of his book, Perkins gradually shifted the focus from his worldwide negotiations and experiences to the malevolent role United States as a whole plays in a macroscopic view, urging American citizens to take actions. He reflected on Middle Eastern affairs, saying “ a puppet administration is favorable to the United States who was to frighten countries like Iraq into submission”(Perkins 207). When he specifically tackled the event of Panama invasion, he revealed the shocking truth of how “the Bush administration and US army prohibited the Red Cross and outside observers from entering the heavily bombed area for three days” (Perkins 208). The United States, shown by Perkins, is far from the representation of liberty many Americans imagined. The world need Americans to change their nation.

Along with his emphasis on US actions in the macroscopic picture, Perkin also used intimate diction to connect to the readers. The use of the word “I” was slowly but fully being replaced by words such as “you” and “we”. In his conclusion, Perkins accentuated that “one thing we each can-and must- do is to educate ourselves.” (Perkins 276). When he is discussing the motivation for making changes, Perkins again phrased it as “the coincidences of your life, and the choices you have made have brought you to this point” (Perkins 265). Perkins shows his readers all have a responsibility to make a change, and a necessity to do so.

May the world be a better place.