The Corporatocracy

When I first picked up Confessions of an Economic Hit Man,I found myself having a hard time believing the story being told. It certainly read much more like a work of fiction. It is a story of the American Empire and the quest to protect U.S. interests at all costs – even in the face of dire consequences for much poorer nations.

A point the author tries to make – and I think many readers miss – is that there is not some sinister, back-room conspiracy at work in all of this. America is run by what the author calls the “corporatocracy” (a government dominated by corporate influence, banks, and governments). He writes:

corporations, banks, and governments (collectively the corporatocracy)

It is an eye opening read. While I do believe some of the author’s tales seem contrived and hard to believe, I have no reason to doubt the legitimacy of his overall claim. There have been many other books written about this subject and I think many people assume that the U.S. government does not always have the interests of the weak in mind. Very few doubt that any government should look out for its own interests, but it is not necessary to prey on the weak in order to make the strong stronger.

This book also reminded me that most of us operate following a misconception that human progress can be measured in strictly economic terms. We speak of poorer countries as being “underdeveloped” as if they are somehow inferior in every way because they do not produce as much as we. It seems to always be about production – for the sole purpose of more consumption. Perhaps we should look at the world through a different lens.

If you’d like an intriguing, fast-paced read that makes you question your old assumptions, you should pick up this book. If you need a “just the facts” approach, you may want to look for another.