The Looting Machine: A book review

The book that I read was The Looting Machine: Warlords, Tycoons, Smugglers, and the Systematic Theft of Africa’s Wealth by Tom Burgis. Tom Burgis is an investigations correspondent at the Financial Times. The Looting Machine by Tom Burgis is an eye-opening and thought-provoking book that exposes the dark side of the global economy. Burgis travels around the world to investigate the exploitation of natural resources in Africa and how it has contributed to the continent's underdevelopment and poverty.

The book opens with an anecdote about the murder of Patrice Lumumba, the first democratically elected leader of the Congo, who was overthrown and killed in a CIA-backed coup in 1961. This sets the tone for the rest of the book, which is a scathing critique of the way in which multinational corporations, corrupt politicians, and Western governments have colluded to exploit Africa's natural resources for their own gain.

The first part of the book focuses on the mining industry in Africa, particularly in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Burgis explains how the country's mineral wealth has been a curse rather than a blessing, with the proceeds from the mining industry lining the pockets of a small elite while the majority of the population live in poverty. The author provides details on how the global demand for minerals such as coltan, cobalt, and copper has led to the exploitation of workers, environmental degradation, and the financing of armed groups. Burgis argues that the looting of Africa's minerals has been facilitated by a web of corruption that involves multinational corporations, African politicians, and Western governments.

The second part of the book examines the role of Western banks in facilitating the looting of Africa's resources. Burgis explains how banks such as Barclays, Citigroup, and JPMorgan have profited from money laundering and the financing of corrupt African politicians. The author argues that the global financial system is rigged in favor of the rich and powerful, and that the interests of the poor and marginalized are ignored.

The third part of the book focuses on the role of Western governments in perpetuating the cycle of poverty and underdevelopment in Africa. Burgis argues that Western governments have played a key role in supporting African dictators and corrupt politicians, often in exchange for access to natural resources. The author describes how the United States, France, and Britain have all backed authoritarian regimes in Africa, contributing to the continent's instability and poverty.

Throughout the book, Burgis provides numerous examples and anecdotes to illustrate his arguments. He describes how multinational corporations such as Glencore and Anglo American have been involved in human rights abuses and environmental degradation in Africa, and how African politicians have siphoned off billions of dollars from their countries' resources for their own enrichment. The author also shows how Western governments have turned a blind eye to these abuses in order to maintain their access to Africa's resources.

Overall, The Looting Machine is a powerful and important book that shines a light on the dark side of the global economy. Burgis' writing is clear and engaging, and his arguments are well-supported by evidence. The book is particularly effective in showing how the exploitation of Africa's natural resources has contributed to the continent's underdevelopment and poverty, and how this exploitation is enabled by a web of corruption that involves multinational corporations, African politicians, and Western governments.

One criticism of the book is that it focuses primarily on the negative aspects of Africa's relationship with the global economy, without providing much in the way of solutions or alternatives. While Burgis does suggest some reforms that could help to address the problem, such as greater transparency in the mining industry and stronger regulation of banks, these proposals are somewhat vague and lacking in detail. Nonetheless, The Looting Machine is a valuable contribution to the debate about the global economy, and it should be a must-read book for anyone interested in the exploitation of natural resources and its impact on developing countries.