Introduction
The Confessions of an economic Hit Man book is an autobiography dedicated to the experiences of John Perkins’. John Perkins worked as a top economist, with the heads of IMF, World Bank and other financial institutions. His main job was to justify huge loans for countries of interest mostly deemed non-compliant to the US. In most cases engineering and construction projects were, proposed with the aim of bankrupting these countries. However, after moral and ethical considerations, Perkins quit his work in 1980; following many years of persuasion and bribing not to write a book on his experiences Perkins changed his mind following 9/11 terrorist attacks. The Confessions of an economic hitman, (2005) is an intriguing, entertaining, but unreliable narration of US imperialism. Despite it being an interesting book, it leaves the reader with more questions than answers. Most of the details are absent, left out for the reader to imagine their limit; unfortunately, this does not serve well with many intellectual readers who find the details scanty and unreliable. The aim of this paper is to explore the strengths and weaknesses of John Perkins' Confessions of an Economic Hit Man (2005) in comparison to development and underdevelopment, modernization theory, and dependency theory. In the first section, the paper will discuss the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats in this order, in the subsequent sections
Strength relative to the development and modernization theory
As it would be, expected at all levels development and modernization does increase the quality of life. As discussed in an earlier lecture Development equals good infrastructure, good education, good agricultural capabilities, and practices (lectures name, lecture notes September 9). However, it is with this same tone that Modernization theory as the progressive transition from a traditional society to what is a modern society (Wulf, & Sokol, 2005) comes into the picture. Modernization theory explores the internal factors of a country in the assumption that with additional help, they could transform to a modern society. It is on these grounds that the World Bank was, formed together with the IMF and others like the development bank. The aim was to create international institutions that would fund countries, which wanted to modernize (World Bank, 2012). However, it is through these same structures, created by the international community that confession of the economic hitman (2005) illustrates how the desire to achieve development was, exploited to benefit the US position.
The same pillars of development and modernization; packaged in a promise of development, which in normal circumstances would attribute to wealth, supposed to attain poor country's power and economic freedom become pillars for dependency. Through the same instructions of development (World Bank, IMF, development banks) Perkins, (2005) points at how the US might grow and reach forth to cripple countries deemed uncooperative to submission. This argument as portrayed and reflected by Perkins is one of the greatest strength in Perkins confessions of an economic hitman (2005). These build into the suspicions of other political analysts on the source of strength for the American foreign policy.
Mirra (2008) notes the aim of creating a multilateral system was, to modernize the third world countries. These involved coming together at NAM, raising prices of commodities, reducing tariffs on products from third world countries, transferring of technology, debt relief, and more power for IMF and the World Bank. Unfortunately, a different picture is, painted on reading the confessions of an economic hitman. The IMF and the World Bank come out as puppets of the US a major strength in (Perkins, 2005). With the knowledge of the US position in the world, one finds him, or herself wanting to believe Perkins (2005) claim he was, recruited to work as an economic forecaster. Whereby through the World Bank, he convinced countries to borrow billions by laying the programs would benefit them. The aim was to place the countries into an everlasting debt that would see the same countries they were helping become, enslaved to the policies and ideologies of United States. The plan was to make the poor countries become dependent, on the US. It is with this consideration that one can state Perkins argument amount to strength
Considering the theory of dependency, which holds "resources move from the poor countries periphery to the much more core wealthy countries (Peet & Hartwick, 2012). One can clearly see how this factor is strength to the confessions of an economic hitman (2005), in relation to the kind of modernization Perkins sold to the third world countries. It is evident to date countries in the third world exporting resources at throw away prices and then importing products made from the same resources they exported at high extravagant prices. These are the foundation for led to most of the underdeveloped countries to the class of dependency (Seligson, 2008).
Loans given and acquired were, not designed to assist the development of customized technologies but adaptation of existing technology. These meant the countries would continue to rely on technological help to the future. The results are poor nations continued and still today continue to be providers of cheap labor, natural resources and the market for obsolete, unwanted technologies. Strength is illustrated by Wulf and Sokol (2005), who further explain that poor nations continued to be, trapped through a continuous political, media, finance and banking, culture, sports and economic control. The irony is that as countries become, trapped into an unending need. The same time dependency theory defended these same countries from the definitions of the modernization theory. It determined that underdeveloped countries were not primitive, but, unique in their way of different structures (Peng, 2009).
These arguments got further supported by evidence of countries entrapped in debt discussed in the book especially in South America supporting these claims, therefore, raising the credibility of the confessions of the economic Hitman. Panama, Indonesia, and Saudi Arabia were all targets of the US cosmetic modernization. Perkin, however, was slowly being, changed by the tide of lies and fraud. Perkins explains his final changes of attitude were because of 9/11, the bombings and human suffering experience. Perkins, (2005) further justifies the change in him and his decision to confess his actions. The ability of the book to explain the primary cause of Perkins change of heart is a major strength of the book.
Weaknesses Relative to the Development
The attribution of the US involvement to imperialism is one of the statements in the confessions of an economic hitman (2005) which make gravitate it from a strong, reliable argument to a weak, unreliable argument. While the confessions of an economic hitman bring out the Points at the US as an in imperialist, it does fail terribly to consider that colonization was still a factor during his time. Countries were, underdeveloped, and thus a comparison was necessary (lectures name, lecture notes September 9). Whether the US took advantage of the development factors or not the country’s biggest cause of exploitation arose from poor public policies resulting from young democracies.
In the light of modernization or dependency theory, a weakness emerges in the confessions of an economic hitman. Being that Modernization works with internal factors that can then be, improved to up-raise the countries in need. Only those countries named could identify these factors; whether the roads were, built by the US or Japan, the end should have remained the same. Where the road was, built or a bridge was giving populations more movement, it is impossible to see how those countries would not benefit.
What Perkins (2005) ignores another weakness on his quest to the truth is that the corruption might have been more to blame. Grigor′ev & Ovchinnikov (2009), notes that corruption is the worst enemy to development, not colonization, not underinvestment or such. It is the consistent stealing of national resources and manipulation of existing institutions to favor unaccountability. Nonetheless, it remains evident that the maintenance and growth of the rich countries are a major cause to poverty in the third world. It is should not go without pointing at the structures of governance that make it possible for the rich countries to take advantage.
Further weaknesses relate to the picture painted by Perkins, of a deadly dangerous shadowy American force that was capable of killing presidents. His claim that early on he had been bribed not to let out the secrets and of course, as it is evident he let them out. The question that arises is why the same cup was, not fed to him. This line of thought made his place look fictitious than ever, almost like a concoction created to take attention from the real day-to-day issues. Ransom & Baird, (2009) go further to ask what if he was still working for MAIN or worse a bigger shadow government. All accusations made by Perkins weakened lacked reliable literal evidence: These made Perkins come forth as a conspiracy theorist and to others as a liar. Johnson (2007) asserts that Perkins claims gathered together are very disturbing and thus demanded a reliable source of evidence. Because the claims linked to, historical events like Panama invasion and Saudi Arabia oil embargo the events as elaborated by Perkins cannot become his reference point simply because they were, manipulated easily.
Present
Opportunities
The biggest opportunities that presently exist are, based on the advent information technology, which has in turn increased education in individual countries. While roads and institutions can be, built, wrongly information and the resulting education equip societies with tools to deal with the main problem (Journal of Global Health Blog, n.d.). Information and education today works as a link, a bridge that would ensure that modernization is adapted to all equally without economic hit men taking advantage of the situation. Mirra, (2008) states that underdeveloped economies only require an investment in theirs know to create a foundation for progression.
In Panama example, Perkins stated; his role was to close a deal for MAIN development plan. These point out at the real problem the loopholes in the previous plan and the need to change. Perkins states that it was in Panama he had a chance to see the need in the country especially in Canal Zone. The controversy was the houses and Americans by occupied golf cause close while Panamanians lived in sharks. The opportunities presented were vague they were only designed to throw panama at the feet of the Americans with loans that would not be, paid for many years.
Another example is the Saudi Arabia example Johnson, (2007) states the US saw to it that an agreement reached where the US would provide government securities for the Americans in exchange for military and political support. The deal involving Saudi Arabia and United States changed the kingdom almost at once. It also discernible the start of an ongoing association amid the Bush family and the House of Saud, the bin Laden family, saw them benefit significantly from an economic perspective (Perkins, 2005).
With modernization and globalization, it is possible for a country today to get technology. Of course, unlike Perkins time the US was solely the most powerful nation. Today however there is China that feeds American consumerism with its savings and countless products. Stacey, (2006) observes that more people today are educated resulting in what is an explosion of innovation with more and more people in most countries investing heavily in education to feed the technological hunger.
Threats impending changes
It is unfortunate to state that Modernization is a threat to developing economies (Lectures name, lecture notes September 11). Modernization is the transformation from a rural, agrarian, traditional, society to a secular industrial, urban society. Keeping with this, countries in Europe and the US advanced in technology, countries left behind at the same time got, trapped. Considering modernization theory access to new technologies would practically change the lives of underdeveloped countries. While it is true, Perkins points out its loopholes, making it possible for countries like the US to take advantage. Any help given has to be technological in nature demanding education and financial assistance. However, that only made wealthy countries wealthier. The confessions of an economic hitman illustrate the US getting more powerful and therefore able to manipulate the institutions designed to bring in the outside help.
Evidently, modernization resulted in Dependency. Countries were, trapped at the feet of the ever-growing nations. The richer the dominant countries got, the more innovative and technological they got these meant that the poor countries were in a condition of dependency. Perkins states how the US turned this to their favor, the more the countries needed, the more they become, entrapped. Instead of the development, money going into education or food needed, the World Bank and its likes paid more money for the adaptation of these technologies to the poorer countries. Keeping with this Dudek, (lecture notes, n.d.) adds that Great engineering projects were, designed and implemented and not as much money used was going out to help people. The nations where these technologies adapted had now to rely fully on the US and its likes to keep the advancements running at huge costs that only created even more reliance. According to Lectures name (lecture notes September 11).Developed countries intentionally kept underdeveloped undeveloped. These to date make the developed countries become the biggest threat to developing countries.
Conclusion
Perkins confessions and the book as a whole is a philosophical SWOT analysis where the strengths in the book outweigh its weaknesses. However, not as significantly as expected the book opens a discussion that clearly invokes action muting the weaknesses slightly. Written for the general reader the writer manages to curve around serious issues. However, in unconvincingly tries to bring in the most intellectual readers who question his methods. The basis of his analysis relies on his account and lacks sufficient evidence expect from his works. One thing though that is evident is Perkins statements are troubling, and it causes us to question on the possibilities of truth and the impact that would have on economic society.
REFERENCES
Grigor′ev, L., & Ovchinnikov, M. (2009). Corruption as an Obstacle to Modernization. Problems of Economic Transition, 51(11), 40-61.
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Johnson, L. (2007). Strategic intelligence understanding the hidden side of government. Westport, Conn: Praeger Security International.
Peet, R. & Hartwick, E. (2012). Theories of Development, Second Edition Contentions, Arguments, Alternatives. New York: Guilford Publications, Inc.
Perkins, J. (2005). Confessions of an economic hit man. London: Ebury Press.
Peng, Y. (2009). Modernization Theory. Chinese Studies in History, 43(1), 37-45.
Ransom, D. & Baird, V. (2009). People first economics. Oxford, England: New Internationalist.
Seligson, M. A. (2008). Development and underdevelopment: the political economy of global inequality (4th Ed.). Boulder: Lynne Rienner Publishers.
Stacey, S. (2006). The Coming Democracy: New Rules for Running a New World and The Democracy Makers: Human Rights and the Politics of Global Order. Perspectives on Politics, 4(01), 162-176.
World Bank and governance the Bank's efforts to help developing countries build state capacity. (2012). Washington, D.C.: World Bank.
Wulf, L. d., & Sokol, J. B. (2005). Customs Modernization Handbook. Washington, DC: World Bank.
Appendix 1
