Reviews for History-social Studies, California Edition Level 1 - School and Family

The average rating for History-social Studies, California Edition Level 1 - School and Family based on 2 reviews is 4 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2020-06-18 00:00:00 Gene Siegrist 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 who control the planet's natural resources. Their tools included fraudulent financial reports, rigged elections, payoffs, extortion, sex, and murder. They play a game as old as empire, but one that has taken on new and terrifying dimensions during this time of globalization. Perkin’s theory is that huge corporations form the bases of what he calls a corporatocracy which is a system of government that serves the interest of, and may be run by, huge corporations and involves ties between government and business. Where corporations, conglomerates, and/or government entities with private components, control the direction and governance of a country, including carrying out economic planning notwithstanding the 'free market' label. The bulk of the book talks about the different countries Perkin went as an economic hit man. It started in Indonesia, Nepal, Bhutan, Iraq, Kuwait, etc in Asia then to countries in Latin American and ended in Africa. Some of these, like the assassination of political leaders and controversies are not new to my ears. However, you would feel that Perkins is not taking you for a ride because of the details that he incorporated in these confessions. What I really liked about the book is that, despite his supposedly controversial exposes as a whistleblower, gloom and doom are not the main focus of the book. Towards the end, he recalls one of his speaking engagements where a lady asks him what she could do as an individual to change this corporatoracy. Perkins explained that all of us can do our share by not making these huge corporations to be more socially aware and responsible especially on the flights of the people in the developing third world countries.. As I said above, Perkins written this book with the American people as target readers. He explained that America is an empire because (1) the country is only 5% of the total world population yet it consumes 20% of earth’s natural resources; (2) it has the most powerful military in the world; (3) its culture and language are not only influencing other countries’ but to some extent are adapted by some; (4) its money, the US Dollar, has been the base currency of all the other world currencies since the end of World War II and (5) as an empire it is governed by an emperor but this emperor is not a single individual but a corporatocracy composed of the government, huge corporations and media. This book calls for the American people to be more proactive and socially-aware of what is happening in the world and not be contented with their comfortable lives. As Perkin stressed in one of his talks: “our children future will not be bright if the children of other less fortunate countries will not be bright too.”

Review # 2 was written on 2008-01-14 00:00:00 Lee Robinson 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 the middle of it all, viewing these horrible actions at the mercy of great pay, scenic views, and beautiful women. Perkins opens up the eyes of the reader to a world that is only talked about in spy novels and fanciful fiction, but these facts and firshand accounts had me on the edge of my seat, and enraged at the behavior of the country that I was birthed in. A great read, a real eye-opener, an outstanding journal of corporate greed, and despite the obvious agenda of a weathered and bitter man, an excellent book.