Two Figures

The author of the international best-seller ‘Confessions of an Economic Hitman,’ has a message that asks for civil society to join hands, start to act, to take the journalists with it, and to create a new economic order in which everyone gets his share equitably, writes SYED IQBAL ZAHEER.

Born in 1945, John Perkins is perhaps the most well-known non-political person of this century. He is an American who first came to limelight through his book, Confessions of an Economic Hit Man, published in 2004. It details how the Third World countries are economically colonized by the West, particularly the USA. Led by the deep-state within the United States of America, operated by its agents who work in co-ordination with its high level politicians, both in the government as well as those outside, the UNO, World Bank, IMF, CIA, and many other organizations, aided by heads of Corporate businesses, the system works quietly but efficiently to enslave the Third World countries. It has been operational since after the Second World War.

By 1980, Perkins was being sent as an economic advisor representing top-class business organizations, to Third World countries, in order to meet highly placed officials including Presidents and Prime Ministers to sell them the idea of economic development with the help of finance loaned out by global financial organizations. He carried false reports from financial organizations, and spurious plans which were attractive to the leaders of the countries because – for one reason – the plans promised to grease their palms.

If the leaders could not be convinced because the plans were too technical, or because they were somewhat patriotic and so sceptic of the results, bribes were used. And if a powerful head of a state wasn’t convinced and evinced independent ideas, especially because he sensed some foul play, and, further, warnings to him of his life failed, then he was physically removed. He met with an accident, his aircraft crashed, a coup was organized, or, if other methods failed, his country was invaded on one pretext or the other, and the regime was changed to another that would agree with the plans of Washington.

Perkins knew the game very well and gained good reputation, especially because he personally knew the players in every Third World country: heads of the states, CEOs, and other people of influence. He had become a skilled economic hit man. He wrote about his functions. But, with personal involvement and observation of what was being claimed and achieved in the actual world, he developed scepticism, self-doubt and a critique of his own role. He developed a guilt feeling.

Finally, to unburden himself, he began to discuss the affairs with his colleagues and those he could trust, and, with their agreement, he published his experiences and findings in the book: Confessions of an Economic Hit Man, in 2004. He wrote in the book:

“Economic hit men (EHMs) are highly paid professionals who cheat countries around the globe out of trillions of dollars. They funnel money from the World Bank, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and other foreign ‘aid’ organizations into the coffers of huge corporations and the pockets of a few wealthy families who control the planet’s natural resources. Their tools include fraudulent financial reports, rigged elections, payoffs, extortion, sex, and murder. They play a game as old as empire, but one that has taken on new and terrifying dimensions during this time of globalization. I should know; I was an EHM.” (Confessions of an Economic Hit Man)

The above facts are not unfamiliar to the heads of states, administrations, CEOs, political and financial leaders of the Western, as well as of the Third World. But the information is strictly kept within the upper circles. They are trade secrets. The media does not get a whiff of it. It was the first time that the information was published in a book and the details revealed by an insider with names of the people, places, and dates. It was eagerly taken by the informed public, discussed, and the bitter truths realized. The portrayal was of a real world – their world.

The book was an immediate best-seller and its reviews were quick to follow. It was translated into 32 languages and sold in 1.25 million copies. It stayed as the best-seller for a record 70 weeks as the New York Times best seller. It was included as a course book by educational institutes and college programs. Seminars, debates, conferences, study groups, treated it as the main topic. Perkins became a household name among the reading public. He began being invited to speak in gatherings of the educated class all over the East and the West, and the media spread his opinions to every nook and corner. BBC, CNN, and dozens of others over the globe spread his message. The YouTube boasts of dozens of talks delivered in several places. He has his own site on the Internet. (Perhaps, it will not be out of place to mention that the Muslim world, occupying one-fifth position population-wise on this planet, has largely remained ignorant of him. Nothing new. They couldn’t care less for the world they live in).

In the year 2016, he brought out a new book: The New Confessions of an Economic Hit Man. It elaborates upon the older themes and gives some chilling accounts of how the colonization programs works enslaving the Third World victims; how the unwanted world leaders are gotten rid of. Yet, the book also lays down the means and methods of economic development sans the slavery that accompanies it. He points out that there is still hope. It requires co-operation and co-ordination of the general public of all classes across the nations, gender and races.

In a penultimate chapter of his book entitled, ‘Things to do,’ he invites to action and lays down a plan of action by listing sub-titles such as: ELEVEN THINGS WE ALL CAN DO, to successfully change the economic scenario:

NINE THINGS STUDENTS CAN DO,
SIX THINGS RETIRED PEOPLE CAN DO,
NINE THINGS PEOPLE BETWEEN STUENT AGE AND RETIREMENT AGE CAN DO
ELEVEN THINGS CORPORATIONS CAN DO (AND THAT CONSUMERS CAN INSIST THEY DO)
FIVE THINGS THAT ENTERPRENEURS CAN DO.

His message is: Join hands, start to act, take the journalists with you, to create a new economic order in which everyone gets his share equitably.

To the above he adds his advice, sort of guide notes:

“As you read the lists, please keep in mind perhaps that the most important advice of all is to enjoy the process. Follow your bliss. Make it fun. Don’t burn out. Whenever you come up against an obstacle, see it as an opportunity that excites your creative juices and enables you to experience the joy of finding solutions. Whenever someone criticizes you or tells you the ‘life economy’ is impossible, or whenever you meet a roadblock such as police officers preventing you from marching, understand it as a manifestation of the old story. Like a good martial artist, gather strength from such actions; use the energy to energize you. It is time for you – and me, us – to do whatever it takes to bury the ‘death economy’ and birth the ‘life economy.’”

That is the story of a globally popular person. He has books to his credit in every country of the planet, media is chasing him for interviews, the literary world is discussing his ideas, colleges and universities are teaching his thoughts, the intellectual class awaits his newest talk – he and his ideas of economic development enjoy greater popularity and respect than Presidents and Prime Ministers, over the globe.

Let us compare him with an historical personality – Muhammad (saws). He, too, presented new ideas: not only economic, but also the more difficult, social, moral, and religious. He did not have the advantage of radio, magazine, newspapers, and television to spread his message. He had to work with his voice. The Book he brought did not enjoy millions of reprints. In fact, it was not even written down, so it could not be translated into any other language. The reviews of his ideas were entirely negative. When he attempted to talk in public, he was told to shut up. He did not sit across the table with Presidents and Prime Ministers to discuss his plans. But he wrote to them introducing his ideas. One of them tore his letter saying, ‘How dare he write to me?’ and instructed a provincial Governor to ‘arrest the fellow and present him to me.’

We do not know the success or failure of Perkins’ message. But we know that the common people’s personal wealth has been declining and those of the corporates increasing steadily from 2004 onward until this day. In the homeland of Perkins, USA, the story is no brighter. The middle class there is suffering crisis after crisis. Three years after publication of the book by Perkins the mortgage crisis of 2007 not only rendered hundreds of thousands in USA homeless, it also sent currents and waves of financial crisis over the world. It is estimated that a loss of three trillion dollars was sustained by the world economy. Several financial crashes have followed in the world since then, increasing the differences between the rich and the poor to an extreme degree. It is stated that the top 1% of the world population owns 99% of all wealth. Instead of dying down, the colonization has acquired newest forms and enslaved the people to their own ruling classes. It appears that his messages and warnings did not have any impact on the economic systems.

As for the success or failure of the Prophet’s program, well, the story is well-known.

There are several contrasts between the stories of the two for someone interested to know. But, at the personal level, too, the two can be contrasted. The Arab person married no less than eleven wives. He kept them enslaved in poverty, so to say. When they protested, he gave them the choice to walk back to their folks with gifts from him or remain, literally, starving with him. Not one of the eleven would consider the offer. Perkins had a single wife, whom he provided with a first-class life of comfort and luxury; but she preferred a divorce. To our knowledge, he lives alone.