The Norman Transcript
November 14, 2007 12:24 am
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Transcript Staff Writer
The next generation is faced with worldwide social and economic problems, but there is hope for change, a self-described former economic hit man told about 75 University of Oklahoma students on campus Tuesday afternoon.
"You are the people who have inherited the challenges we created for you," said John Perkins, author of "Confessions of an Economic Hit Man."
Perkins worked as an economic hit man (EHM) for the United States for years before writing the best seller in 2004 that told his story of the corruption he'd been a part of.
As an EHM, Perkins said his job was to convince Third World countries to accept large loans for infrastructure development and to guarantee that the development projects were contracted to U.S. corporations.
Once the countries were saddled with huge debts, the U.S. government and the international aid agencies allied with it were able to control their economies and to ensure that oil and other resources were channeled to serve the interests of building a global empire, Perkins said.
When the EHM couldn't corrupt the leaders of developing countries by promising fortune, the U.S. would resort to assassination, he said. When those attempts failed, then the military was called in, he said.
The war in Iraq is a perfect example of this, he said. Saddam Hussein couldn't be bought or assassinated, so the U.S. invaded Iraq to protect its oil interests, he said.
Perkins' visit to OU was hosted by the OU chapter of Amnesty International.
When he appeared in Meacham Auditorium at Oklahoma Memorial Union, he was dressed comfortably in a long-sleeved gray polo shirt. His curly gray hair was shaggy but his lined face spoke of determination.
Perkins summarized his job as an economic hit man, saying these U.S. policies created the current state of the world, where poverty runs rampant and a small part of the population exploits the majority.
The ones who control the policies are not politicians, but what Perkins called the "corporatocracy," he said. This is the group of executives that lead companies that exploit the world's resources.
The corporatocracy isn't a conspiracy; the individuals don't get together and conspire to do dark deeds, he said.
"They all follow the unspoken goal of big corporations, and that goal is to consistently make huge profits, regardless of the social and environmental costs," he said.
While he explained the state of the world, Perkins was suprisingly upbeat, pointing out progress that had been made.
Eight countries in Latin America have elected leaders who said no to economic hit men in the past and are trying to do what's best for their people, he said.
More change is happening even in the United States as Americans are waking up to the harmful legacy the country is leaving around the world, he said.
Many are realizing the corporate culture in the U.S. needs to change. Profits can still be made, "but in a way that promotes a sustainable, stable and peaceful world," Perkins said.
Corporate workers want to make this change too, he said, but "they need our help, and they need our permission."
One positive means for change is that corporations are entirely dependent on consumers, he said.
"All of us are the constituency of every corporation out there, and we have incredible power to change things," he said.
Even on the OU campus, there is enormous potential for change, he said. The university contracts with Coca Cola and Nike, both of which need to improve their social and environmental policies, he said.
Individuals can work for change by making small steps, such as writing letters to companies or not buying sweat shop products, he said. He pointed out the impact that Rosa Parks made with a simple act of refusing to give up her seat for a white man.
"Who the hell was Rosa Parks?" Perkins asked. "She's you."
He brought up his third-grade teacher who taught him how to stand up to and befriend bullies. Without her, Perkins said, he would not be the person he is.
He drew a parallel between the Revolutionary War and the movement for global change today. Each person in the war did what they were best at, he said.
"Everyone was taking a different path, they were following passions and talents, but they were all moving toward the same goal," he said. Perkins encouraged students to follow their talents and passions to bring change.
Perkins said the intent of his time with students Tuesday was that when they left the auditorium, they would be united in their goal of creating a better world.
The students who attended Tuesday gave Perkins a standing ovation at the end of his talk.
Ephraim Alajaji, a 20-year-old sophomore, said the speech was sobering, but he believed what Perkins said was true. As much as Americans just want to be happy in their consumerism, they can't avoid what's going on in the rest of the world, he said.
"You know deep down you are a part of the problem," Alajaji said.
Students said they felt the hope Perkins gave, as well.
"I like how it inspired me and gave me a little hope," Chris Schroeder said about Perkins' speech. The 20-year-old physics sophomore said he appreciated Perkins' comments about using individual talents to make changes in the world.
"It kind of gave me hope I could use my passion and help out somehow," Schroeder said.
Julianna Parker
366-3541
jparker@normantranscript.com
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