THE EPOCALYPSE

A book offers a revolutionary approach to global economic nirvana.

With undiluted boldness, Khan (Islamic Economic Revolution of the Century, 2006, etc.) promises to present “A Method to Address Economic Recession, Remove Poverty, Terrorism, Improve Law and Order, Reduce Drug Abuse, Inflation AND Taxes in an Interest Free Economy.” The method, which the author calls the “mutual benefit bond system,” is essentially a scheme to sell government-controlled bonds that can be purchased by any consumer or business and then used to acquire goods and services at reduced prices. MBBS is explained in three sections of the book: a graphic overview, which appears to be a reproduction of a slide presentation; a four-page summary; and the book’s text, divided into four chapters. This odd organization serves to repeat the content in three different formats, leading to a somewhat disjointed reading experience. The more pressing issue, however, is the nature of the material itself, which is a combination of a high-powered sales pitch for MBBS and hypothetical examples of how the system might be put into effect. Much of the volume concentrates on the potential implementation of MBBS in the United States. To apply the principles of MBBS, however, it appears that the country’s entire economic system would have to be scrapped and rebuilt, a scenario that seems utterly unrealistic. Hyperbolic language abounds throughout the book; for example: “At Least 20 million people employed within 30 days with zero cost to the government” and “Prove these claims wrong and win 10 Million Dollars!” The financial projections shared by the author are intriguing if not tantalizing, but no nation has ever employed MBBS, so the plan appears to be baseless and unsubstantiated. There is neither supporting evidence nor endorsements from outside experts, and no author biography is included, all of which hamper the book’s credibility. Yet Khan concludes: “Any country that does not implement MBBS would face a public revolt and would be replaced by a government willing to implement this system.”

Wildly speculative and promissory; filled with claims about the world’s economy that may be difficult for some readers to take seriously.