The Secret History of the American Empire¶
Metadata¶
- Author: John Perkins
- ASIN: B000UB9NH0
- ISBN: 0452289572
- Reference: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000UB9NH0
- Kindle link
Highlights¶
the individuals who control our businesses, governments, and media (collectively, the corporatocracy). — location: 177 ^ref-11381
mission soon became synonymous with proving that the capitalist system was superior to that of the Soviet Union. — location: 196 ^ref-27329
“We’ve watched them go off to work every morning at the Bank dressed…”—he pointed at them—“like this. But when protesters congregate here in Washington to demonstrate against the Bank, our fathers join them. We watch them go incognito, wearing old clothes, baseball caps, and sunglasses to support those people because they believe they—and you—are right.” — location: 216 ^ref-1359
The United States represents less than 5 percent of the world’s population; it consumes more than 25 percent of the world’s resources. — location: 234 ^ref-18668
tax. Their governments demanded debt settlements in gold. On August 15, 1971, the Nixon administration refused and dropped the gold standard altogether. — location: 245 ^ref-17495
This empire is ruled by a group of people who collectively act very much like a king. They run our largest corporations and, through them, our government. They cycle through the “revolving door” back and forth between business and government. — location: 253 ^ref-21776
In our electoral process—the very heart of our democracy—most of us get to vote only for candidates whose campaign chests are full; therefore, we must select from among those who are beholden to the corporations and the men who own them. — location: 274 ^ref-32504
we have been extremely successful at changing corporations whenever we have set it as our goal—for example, in cleaning up polluted rivers, halting damage to the ozone layer, and reversing discrimination. Now we must learn from our successes and rise to new levels. — location: 288 ^ref-27923
I now understood who Jesus was fighting for. It was the beginning of my commitment to fight for the same things. Not just Jesus, of course, but also the Prophet Muhammad, the prophets in the Jewish tradition, the Buddha, and every other revered spiritual figure. In fact all of the world’s major religions have social justice at their core.” — location: 663 ^ref-25899
One day Jim knocked over the kerosene for our small portable stove while cleaning, and we had to use our laundry soap to clean up the mess. It was a disaster—devastating financially, and therefore emotionally as well. — location: 689 ^ref-893
our corporations and government encourage men to become addicted to killing for killing’s sake? — location: 737 ^ref-13438