John Perkins | USAID, Economic Hit Men, Iran, & The China Model

Summary

In this episode, John Perkins discusses his experiences as an economic hit man and the role of USAID in manipulating foreign economies. He shares insights into the economic tactics used to influence countries like Iran and how the China model plays into this geopolitical strategy. The conversation reveals the intertwining of economic policies and manipulation in shaping global power dynamics.

Key takeaways

• 1John Perkins: Author of 'Confessions of an Economic Hit Man' who claims to have assisted in the exploitation of foreign economies for U.S. interests.
• 2Economic Hit Men: Individuals tasked with convincing foreign leaders to accept substantial loans from U.S. organizations, which come with strings attached.
• 3USAID: Agency that provides economic assistance and is implicated in promoting U.S. political agendas abroad.
• 4China Model: Refers to China's state capitalist approach to economic development, contrasting with Western neoliberal policies.
• 5Iran: A focal point in the discussion, highlighting how economic manipulation has been used to influence its government.

Glossary terms

Source

Transcript excerpt

Almost surely have a plan That's close-chested We'll do it live from the Sunshine State. I'm Greg Carlwood. And we have known for a long time that the empire runs on blackmail, coups, coercion, and cutthroat capitalism, a mob-like mentality of offering a deal you can't refuse, and a mix of unwanted carrots and sticks designed for domination and competition elimination, a system that works well for those living within the right imaginary box or those who have investments in the right companies, but keeps many others around the world in bitter poverty. Well, like many young guns in the early days of the internet, few videos were as impactful on me as the Zeitgeist series, the highlight of that series being the insightful interview with John Perkins that helped me understand the details of all this, where he explained the work he has done around the world as an economic hitman, a process where he would be sent to smaller countries that have resources our corporations covet and present their leaders with predatory loans sold as an opportunity for growth, new infrastructure, and development that uses their resources as collateral. Only the money never makes it to the country itself. It goes to the corporations in the club to build out said infrastructure and establish the means to extract said resources. When the loan can't be repaid, the leverage is used in a variety of unsavory ways, rinse and repeat. And John goes even deeper in his book, Confessions of an Economic Hitman, now in its third edition, adding so much more context for the changing world. ...

Excerpt from The Higherside Chats, Jun 24, 2025. Rights remain with the original creators. Hear the full episode at the source.