--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Basically, what Economic Hit Men are…" description: "\"Basically, what Economic Hit Men are trained to do is to build up the American empire. To create situations where as many resources as possible flow in..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e9/john-perkins-17246_american_basically-what-economic-hit-men-are-trai_94985.jpg" --- # Basically, what Economic Hit Men are trained to do is to… ![“Basically, what Economic Hit Men are trained to do is to build up the American empire. To create situations where as many resources as possible flow into this country, to our corporations, and our government, and in fact we've been very successful.” quote by John Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e9/john-perkins-17246_american_basically-what-economic-hit-men-are-trai_94985.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e9/john-perkins-17246_american_basically-what-economic-hit-men-are-trai_94985.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e9/john-perkins-17246_american_basically-what-economic-hit-men-are-trai_94985.jpg) > “Basically, what Economic Hit Men are trained to do is to build up the American empire. To create situations where as many resources as possible flow into this country, to our corporations, and our government, and in fact we've been very successful.” [John Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perkins/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Economic Hit Men facilitate resource extraction for the U.S., illustrating how economic strategies expand imperial influence. **In simple terms:** Economic tactics build empire Key Takeaway Resource flow fuels national power Themes imperialism economic policy globalization resource extraction political economy Mood critical inquisitive Type explanatory analytical When to use this quote - policy analysis - history courses - development studies Key Concepts foreign investment corporate influence Practical Applications - teaching about economic coercion - informing anti-imperial activism Questions to Reflect On - What mechanisms enable economic hit men to shape foreign policy? - How does resource extraction affect global equity? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American empire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-empire/) [Corporations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corporations/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Empire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empire/) [Flow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flow/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Situations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/situations/) [Successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful/) ## Related quotes > [The American empire should be destroyed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleksandr-dugin/the-american-empire-should-be-destroyed/) Aleksandr Dugin > [Judge candidly what a wretched figure the American empire will exhibit in the eye of other nations, without a power to array and support…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-ellsworth/judge-candidly-what-a-wretched-figure-the-american-empire-will/) [Oliver Ellsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-ellsworth/) > [We better rethink the position of the United States in the world and whether we want to be an empire. Being an empire puts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/we-better-rethink-the-position-of-the-united-states-in-the-world-and/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [The American empire will not disappear... because America does not have an empire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mandelbaum/the-american-empire-will-not-disappear-because-america-does-not-have/) [Michael Mandelbaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mandelbaum/) > [Once you run current-account deficits, you depend on the kindness of strangers. 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As compensation for their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-vilar/men-have-been-trained-and-conditioned-by-women-not-unlike-the-way/) [Esther Vilar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-vilar/) > [Men are trained since birth that happiness comes from tities or bottles. Stay thirsty my friends!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/men-are-trained-since-birth-that-happiness-comes-from-tities-or/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Men have been trained and conditioned by women, not unlike the way Pavlov conditioned his dogs, into becoming their slaves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-vilar/men-have-been-trained-and-conditioned-by-women-not-unlike-the-way-2/) [Esther Vilar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-vilar/) > [“Kadyn was tearing down walls faster than I could build them. I knew what to expect from men who hit… men who threatened, manipulated,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-s-ruff/kadyn-was-tearing-down-walls-faster-than-i-could-build-them-i-knew/) [K.S. Ruff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-s-ruff/) ## More by John Perkins > [I was initially recruited while I was in business school back in the late sixties by the National Security Agency, the nation's largest and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perkins/i-was-initially-recruited-while-i-was-in-business-school-back-in-the/) [John Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perkins/) > [I've never met anyone who wanted to be a terrorist. They are desperate people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perkins/i-ve-never-met-anyone-who-wanted-to-be-a-terrorist-they-are-desperate/) [John Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perkins/) > [But when 9/11 struck, I had a change of heart. 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