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Mar 30, 2010

Nila rated it:

Buku The Secret History of The American Empire karangan John Perkins ini menyambung pembicaraan dari buku sebelumnya Confession of An Economic Hit Man (recommended untuk dibaca lebih dulu), mengisahkan lebih banyak sepak terjang Corporatocracy diseluruh dunia (di-Indonesiakan menjadi korporatokrasi). Korporatokasi adalah jaringan kolusi dan koalisi antara Pemerintah AS, lembaga-lembaga keuangan dunia dan korporasi-korporasi besar AS. Kekuatan dan Pengaruh korporatrokasi ini sama seperti Kebesara More...

8 comments like (7 people liked it)

Mar 19, 2008

Michael rated it:

Wow...where to start. John Perkins follows up his initial offering, "Confessions of an Economic Hit Man", with more chilling stories and heartwrenching insights of the activities of the American empire in 3rd world nations in the 70's and 80's. Much of the information in the book was not new to me; I was familiar with the overthrow of many of the Central and South American regimes, as well as those of the Middle East. What I didn't realize was the perspective and thoughts of someone in More...

0 comments like (7 people liked it)

Aug 03, 2007

Christine rated it:

I haven't read anything this overtly, globally political since my Noam Chomsky/Howard Zinn/"Bananas, Beaches, and Bases" days - though I've retained the worldview those books inspired. This book picks up where those left off - in the early 90's - and discusses the role of the "corporatocracy" in ruling/destroying the world. (One thing learned so far: CitGo gas stations are owned by Hugo Chavez's Venezuela. So buy gas there.)

The book is divided into sections fo More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Sep 25, 2007

Ugik013 rated it:

kayaknya ni buku wajib dibaca oleh para pengambil keputusan dinegeri ini, deh.
amerika memang tidak kalah di vietnam, irak maupun afghanistan liat saja proyek-proyek yang dilakukan oleh haliburton salah satunya dan hampir setiap proyek dilakukan tanpa melalui tender, dan dugaan saya benar bahwa KKN memang dikondisikan agar sumber daya negara kita habis dikuras oleh orang asing, dan setiap pemilihan kepala negara baru yang demokratis justru akan dihabisi oleh operasi clandestine CIA jika tid More...

1 comment like (1 person liked it)

Jan 04, 2009

Christopher rated it:

I thought I was being duped into reading a rewrite of Confessions when I first began this book. It turned out being okay--more quick chapters w/ references to egregious offenses committed by the American corporatocracy. While interesting, not particularly useful except for expounding rote memorization of history at your local pub. I do like the resources in the index and this piece: "I saw the entire world for the first time in second grade, laid out on a paper map. The ocean was blue a More...

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Oct 02, 2011

Христо rated it:

Тайната история на американската империя
http://www.knigolandia.info/2010/05/blog...

Предполагам, че името Джон Пъркинс ви е познато. Той има няколко минути във филма “Zeitgeist”, където говори за глобалната корупция и бившата му роля като икономически убиец.

С няколко думи – задачата му е била да принуждава лидери на държави от Третия свят – с подкуп или изнудване – да приемат милиардни заеми от МВФ или Световната банка, които да се инвестират в мащабни проекти, з More...

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Aug 09, 2011

Elizabeth added it

A fabulous cautionary note for all of us young, ambitious minds who want to change the world.

"During those three decades [starting in the 70s] thousands of men and women participated... Although unconscious, deceived, and-- in many cases-- self-deluded, those players were not members of any clandestine conspiracy; rather, they were the product of a system that promotes the most subtle and effective form of imperialism the world has ever witnessed. No one had to go out and seek men and wome More...

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Jan 21, 2010

Erik rated it:

Perhaps it is because I have heard his arguments before that I found Perkins’ “secret history” to not be so much of a secret. Take for example his critique of U.S. efforts – through both public and private means – to benefit from a natural catastrophe.

"Most U.S. citizens are not aware that national disasters are like wars: They are highly profitable for big business. A great deal of the money for rebuilding after disasters is earmarked for U.S. engineering firms and for multinat More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Dec 01, 2008

Francis rated it:

John Perkins's globe trotting adventures as a self-described Economic Hit Man (EHM) in "The Secret History of the American Empire" is a one of a kind history lesson in U.S. international affairs and economics over the last 40 years. Perkins sheds light on the discomforting close-knit relationship between the U.S. government and corporate America and shakes off any naive, preconceived assumptions Americans may have that their government officials are out to spread democracy abroad for p More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Nov 28, 2010

Minerva is currently reading it

I found the information in The Secret History of the American Empire: The Truth About Economic Hit Mne, Jackals and How to Change the World by John Perkins causing me to go back to my history books and review the businesses, political leaders, and their relationship with the leadership in the various countries.

Learning the truth I believe will assist anyone in seeing patterns of negotations, behavior and opening one's eyes of how the conquest of economic policies that impact corpora More...

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Aug 21, 2011

Sally rated it:

What a downer! No wonder the world hates us. We all know corporate greed is out of control and that we as Americans consume way more than our share of resources. But if this supposedly non-fiction confession is even half true, it's a whole lot worse than I for one ever believed. While I don't always agree with his totally far left stance, it certainly is time for the common people to take notice and move that into action.

I did find his style of writing a bit difficult to follow. H More...

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Jan 22, 2010

Anastasia rated it:

Must Read for all conscientious citizens on this planet. (I recommend you read Confessions of the Economic Hitman first.) This book goes into vivid detail about who, how, why controls global events behind the scenes. Just why some CEOs of big corporations are getting billions of dollars in bonuses, while so much of the world population is living on $2/day, and living often subhuman lives. John Perkins, as an EHM for 10 years, was such a man - He went into 2nd and 3rd world countries with develo More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jul 29, 2011

Nick rated it:

It's not difficult to give this book three stars because of its less-than-slick writing (terrible cliches welcome), or to criticize it for the 1st-person questionableness of its accusations, but it's also next to impossible not to be alarmed by the things it discusses: sweatshops, international conspiracies, and the corporatocracy's willingness to crush any and all in its way in an effort to realize its own capitalist manifest destiny in a sort of grotesque white-man's-burden-of-the-twentieth-ce More...

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Mar 17, 2009

Terry rated it:

This is book tells the continuing message that Perkins first wrote about in "Confessions of an Economic Hitman". He tells in more detail about how governments and countries get rich and powerful by indebting other nations and ruining there environment and social structure. Perkins talks mostly about the U.S. but he does point out that other first world countries are using the same tactics. Perkins goes into more detail on how government get involve by using there jackals, with large More...

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Mar 10, 2009

Ernest rated it:

I liked "Confessions of an Economic Hit Man" better, but this was still a great read. While "Confessions" focused more on his personal journey and realization, this book focused more on specific Economic Hit Man experiences in major parts of the world. The book is broken out to Asia, the Middle East and Africa, and does a good job of connecting the events that occurred throughout the world.

I especially liked the last section of the book which focused on what you can More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Jun 09, 2011

K.D. rated it:

Even if John Perkins addressed this book to Americans, I found it worth every minute of my time.

Using first person narration, Perkins recounts his experiences as an American economic hit man (EHM). By definition, EHMs are highly-paid professionals who cheat countries around the globe out of trillions of dollars. They funnel money from the World Bank, USAID and other foreign "aid" organizations into the coffers of huge corporations and the pockets of a few wealthy families w More...

4 comments like (11 people liked it)

Aug 15, 2010

Tim rated it:

John Perkins describes a dark world where US corporations impose their will on other countries through the bribery, manipulation, and fear. A world too sinister for me to accept at face value. I think the truth lies somewhere between what Perkins' claims and what the rest of society is lead to believe...at least I hope. Though he doesn't make any claims I immediately dismissed as too outlandish. If corporations play as large a role as they do in US politics what's to say that in other countries More...

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Aug 06, 2008

Al rated it:

"Secret History" was a surprise in some ways, a disappointment in other ways.

John Perkins is the author of a previous book, "Confessions of an Economic Hitman." I was not aware of this previous book or of Perkins's strong political leanings. So my motivation in reading this book might have been different from that of other readers who are already aware of Perkins.

So I guess the surprise was to find myself reading an impassioned appeal to concerned Amer More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Feb 12, 2009

Colin rated it:

John Perkins' revealing accounts from the inside of a corrupt corporate empire. This book is not a conspiracy theorists rantings, He was an "economic hitman" for some of the top corporations. There are detailed accounts of the greed and corruption from the top of capitol hill. The shady workings of the IMF and the World Bank are detailed as well. I found the insight provided in this book to be indispensable. I would recommend it to anyone who wants a little more transparency in the wor More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jul 03, 2008

Jolivernz rated it:

Powerful, scary, awesome stories about the evils of our ways. Aside from the style being a bit egocentric (lots of first person narrative and 'watching the decomposing leper from my airconditioned sedan chair really made me question my approach to life') the book is a pleasure to read---packed with the juicy bits of real-life spy stories from all around the world and rollicking adventure and intrigue on an international scale. Most importantly, the this book identifies the ways in which we are a More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Aug 10, 2011

Scott added it

Best book I read in 2009. READ. THIS. BOOK. It will open your eyes to the real USA, how we've taken control of dozens of countries without going to war, and why we still wage wars (for entirely deceptive reasons) in the post-WW2 era. The book answers the question: Why does much of the world's population believe the United States government and it's democracy-pushing agenda is a total joke, and in fact, the opposite of it's empire-building actions.

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Apr 12, 2008

Mike rated it:

This book, although lacking style.. and sometimes poorly structured, hopping between brief history lessons and anecdotes... gives clarity as to how post-war america took advantage of situations, and how it continues that pattern today. Although it might take an effort to weave through the information for a person of light historical knowledge, the motivations and quasi-legal political situations that often pass by on the news will make more sense.
The evidence behind many of the claims in t More...

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Jun 30, 2008

Amanda rated it:

This book uncovers all the scary tactics the "corporatocracy" uses to control, not only our governments, but governments overseas. John Perkins reveals all the stories that corporations want to bury, including those about sweatshop conditions and the takeovers of Third World countries. The effects of these actions are so far-reaching! It's really scary.
It also discusses the U.S.'s quest for oil and what our country is doing. There's this huge network of people who's job it is t More...

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Jun 09, 2010

Jenny rated it:

I always have to take these types of books with a grain of salt, but my feeling is that real life is a more interesting read than fiction, especially if real life is accentuated through memories and creative writing. Economics and global policies are a tricky matter, and I think this story could continue to be explored with more history and cultural depth.

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Dec 22, 2009

Selina rated it:

This book is an eye-opener for me.
The empire corporates mentioned in the book have the resources and the means to do what they did. It's chilling how the corporates abuse the power to satisfy greed and to maintain a form of absolute control that approaches dictatorship.
In the last part of the book which covers what we could do, the author mentions that many human beings could yield to the temptation of money, power, glamour, etc., and choose the course that he had chosen previously More...

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Nov 05, 2010

Andy rated it:

The long and short of how America became an empire. Until the recent declassification of the CIA's "Family Jewels" I would have said that this book is a pile of conspiracy theories held together by a sloppy narrative. In light of the CIA's addmittance to their illicit involvement in South America, this book shines a bright light on all the dark corners of capitalism.

The Secret History of the American Empire doesn't cease to shock and amaze. From the sweatshops of india, to More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Apr 20, 2010

Jerome rated it:

Although it starts off like a rewrite of Confessions, The Secret History offers a portrait of American Corporate Empire that is broken into chapters detailing the activities of EHMs, Jackals, and the American military (both public and private) in the Americas, Asia, and Africa. Perkins starts off with his own personal history, which is what makes the book all to familiar to readers of Confessions, but soon broadens his narrative into stories related to him by others. By keeping the narrative per More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Oct 14, 2008

Jonathan rated it:

In the follow-on to "Confessions of an Economic Hitman," Perkins addresses the Military-Industrial complex at a higher level than his own personal experiences. He refers to many other people who wanted to get their story out after reading his first novel. Early on in the book I had the impression he would be retailing other people's stories in depth, but he does not do nearly as much concrete story telling of them as I had expected. When he does refer to other's stories, it is usual More...

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Jan 15, 2009

Banning rated it:

In Secret History, John Perkins takes us behind the scenes of the influences of corporate power on the U.S. government, and more specifically, American foreign policy. His critique of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund are especially (and rightfully) harsh, pointing out how third world countries are often forced to privatize public infrastructure in exchange for loans (enriching the coffers of western corporations who are given contracts to oversee these systems) while raising costs More...

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Jan 11, 2010

Carol Rich rated it:

A must-read for anyone who wants to better understand United States economic policies of the past 60 years that their impact on nations throughout the world. John Perkins provides insights into US foreign policy that is critical for any citizen to know and understand. He also teaches the reader what he or she can do to make a positive difference in the world.

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

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