Korean Job Discussion Forums

[fiveeagles]

[mindmetoo]

[visitorq]

^ Well, it's got a very superficial premise: that 'evil' America goes around the world forcing innocent 3rd world countries into taking loans from the world bank, which then get spent on contracting out 'evil' American corporations to build up the counties' crap infrastructure, thereby putting the countries into debt (the debt being the means by which the 'evil' American 'empire' enthralls the world). No real elaborations given, but he tries to compensate for lack of substance by pointing out how much 'street cred' he's got as a former so-called 'economics hit man'. Comes off as pretty pretentious, like he's forcing the issue. Basically it's like Chomsky with less food for thought...

As you'd expect, he fails to question in any way why those poor countries were so poor that they agreed to loans from the US (and hire US companies, since they lack the ability to build up their own infrastructures/industries without us) in the first place and ignore the benefits that capitalist build-up brings.

It's just the same old America is evil and exploitative, the 3rd world is the victim and would be better off without us, yadda yadda yadda. You get the picture.

[mises]

It is a very interesting book from a first person account. The claims are neither new or conspiratorial.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confessions_of_an_Economic_Hit_Man

[ernie]

exactly ^. his premise is that rich nations inflate estimates, bribe leaders, and basically fool countries into buying into the global economic model. it's not a conspiracy theory, it was his JOB. at least read the book.

[visitorq]

If you're posting at me, I never said it was a "conspiracy", just that it seemed shallow and with a heavy anti-American bias. I'm only basing my opinion on the youtube clip that was posted here (and other interviews of him on there, which were all the same). But to be fair I haven't read his book, not that I'm really intrigued to do so after hearing what he had to say in those clips.

[fiveeagles]

[visitorq]

I was joking about the 'evil' bit, but it's not far off. Why do these guys never mention the benefits of capitalism? How come they never question why most of these countries were so sh*t-poor in the first place that they need American investment? Do think poor countries are entitled to wealth for no reason (ie. something for nothing)? They always talk about exploitation, but leave out the fact that these countries are far wealthier now both overall and per capita (because of US investment and trade) than they used to be, and that the poor used to be even poorer.

[fiveeagles]

Who are these guys?

This is just the testimony of someone who worked as one.

[visitorq]

[ernie]

again: read the damn book. it's not that long. this guy's JOB was doing the exact things the "leftist academic types" say is wrong about unrestrained global capitalism. his writing is about as far from 'academic' as you can get. i read your argument before i criticized it, so you should at least read his before you pass judgment.

the reason he doesn't show the benefits of capitalism is because you can find that viewpoint anytime you want - turn on the TV or open a newspaper. he's talking about HIS experiences. he did a lot of slimy stuff to make a quick buck at the expense of the people who needed help the most, and he now realizes that his actions were wrong.

[visitorq]

[jim_we]

You can download it in audio form from Demonoid.com.

[mindmetoo]

[mises]