Mcdo Theory

I was more of a Jollibee kid than a McDonalds kid. The pinoy taste of the former just appealed to me more. The only thing I really liked about McDonalds are their fries and fudge sundaes. (The exception would have to be McDonald's Katipunan. I have to say that I have a lot of memories as a college student hanging out or meeting with my friends in Mcdo Katips). Generally, however, I try to stay away from any other Mcdo branch.

But recently I discovered an interesting theory, placing Mcdonalds and its distinctive golden arches in the middle of the international community's quest for world peace.

As posited by Thomas Friedman, the "Golden Arches Theory of Conflict Prevention" states that no country with a McDonald's had gone to war with another.

What is it about McDonald's that creates peace? The simple answer is that a country that has stabilized to the point where someone is willing to invest close to a million dollars per store in a franchise operation is very unlikely to be a threat to its neighbors, or have neighbors who are a threat to it. McDonald's restaurants are owned by the mother corporation, or by individual franchisees. Neither one is interested in seeing riots, corruption nor banditry destroy their investment. American towns and other countries have to earn their McDonald's.

The economic and political climate that draws McDonald's franchisees is one that speaks of order, and the existence of a McDonald's in a country is an excellent indicator of social order. Where order is absent, chaos reigns and profit does not emerge. Where order spreads, McDonald's is not far behind. (from Duane Ruth-Heffelbower, J.D)


It does make sense. Wars and armed conflicts are not just triggered by ideological bifurcations. At least not anymore. There is an economic aspect in contemporary armed conflicts. With the ever increasing cost of waging wars and developing massive weaponry, as well as the pending economic turmoil experienced by even the richest of countries, the last thing that the US wants to do is to bomb a country that has acquiesced to, if not supported, American imperialistic business ventures.

Studies, however, have shown that the said McDonald's Theory is inaccurate. Historians point to the 1989 US Invasion of Panama, NATO's bombing of Serbia in 1999, the 2006 Lebanon War, and the 2008 South Ossetia War as exceptions.

Thank God. For a moment there I thought I had to force my self to frequent McDo more often as my contribution to world peace.

JERIC ALVIN CRUZ 12th Entry