The Economic Hitman Playbook: World Bank Debt Traps, IMF Conditionalities & Corporate Power
Investigating the hidden forces behind history and power — and today we’re breaking down economic warfare with John Perkins, author of Confessions of an Economic Hitman. In this interview, Perkins explains how “economic hitmen” targeted resource-rich countries, pushed massive World Bank/IMF loan packages, and used debt as leverage to extract concessions: cheap access to oil and resources, privatization, and even military bases. We also discuss the propaganda and perception-management campaigns used to justify regime change — and why Perkins says the same playbook still shapes global politics today. We cover: ✅ What an “economic hitman” actually does ✅ How debt traps work (World Bank → IMF conditionalities) ✅ The corporatocracy + revolving door problem ✅ Why resisting the system can be dangerous ✅ “Death economy” vs “life economy” — and what changes the incentive structure Guest: John Perkins Book: Confessions of an Economic Hitman + Touching the Jaguar Drop your question below: Is economic warfare the real engine behind modern conflict?
CYOL with Jeremy Ryan Slate Archive 1
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Show Notes
Investigating the hidden forces behind history and power — and today we’re breaking down economic warfare with John Perkins, author of Confessions of an Economic Hitman.
In this interview, Perkins explains how “economic hitmen” targeted resource-rich countries, pushed massive World Bank/IMF loan packages, and used debt as leverage to extract concessions: cheap access to oil and resources, privatization, and even military bases. We also discuss the propaganda and perception-management campaigns used to justify regime change — and why Perkins says the same playbook still shapes global politics today.
We cover:
✅ What an “economic hitman” actually does
✅ How debt traps work (World Bank → IMF conditionalities)
✅ The corporatocracy + revolving door problem
✅ Why resisting the system can be dangerous
✅ “Death economy” vs “life economy” — and what changes the incentive structure
Guest: John Perkins
Book: Confessions of an Economic Hitman + Touching the Jaguar
Drop your question below: Is economic warfare the real engine behind modern conflict?