Confessions of an Economic Hit Man by John Perkins

John Perkins's "Confessions of an Economic Hit Man" claims to expose the covert operations of "economic hit men" (EHMs), who allegedly defraud nations globally out of vast sums to benefit corporations and wealthy elites. Perkins, by his own account, was one such EHM, recruited to manipulate developing countries into accepting massive loans for infrastructure projects that primarily served U.S. interests. He details how these loans led to insurmountable debt, allowing the U.S. to exert control over resources and policies, effectively building a "global empire." The book recounts Perkins's experiences in countries like Indonesia, Panama, and Ecuador, illustrating the methods and consequences of EHM activities, and culminates in his eventual rejection of this role and decision to reveal these alleged truths.