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Thomas Friedman's "Golden Arches Theory,"
Nikkei Asia ^

Posted on 03/21/2022 4:59:41 PM PDT by FarCenter

Why the world faces a serious paradigm crisis

...

In his "The Lexus and the Olive Tree," published in 1999, American columnist Thomas Friedman propounded his "Golden Arches Theory," which holds that "no two countries that both had McDonald's had fought a war against each other since each got its McDonald's."

This theory claims there can no longer be a big war because the former Soviet Union and East European countries have become democracies and market economies, creating a globalized and integrated world economy with people, goods and money moving around freely. This view was also reflected in the policy of engagement with China, which was based on the assumption that China's accession to the World Trade Organization and the consequent integration of its economy into the Western capitalist economic order would push the nation toward democracy.

McDonald's opened its first hamburger shop in Russia in Moscow in January 1990 and became a symbol of the end of the Cold War. But the Russian war against Ukraine has forced the company to suspend its operations in Russia.

The conclusion of the Cold War three decades ago ushered in an era of accelerating economic globalization. But Russia's invasion of its neighbor has shaken the very foundations of the post-Cold War world order and threatens to alter basic assumptions about the global economy, which is underpinned by international trade and financial systems taken for granted by most.

The paradigm of economic policy, especially monetary policy, is being shaken.

(Excerpt) Read more at asia.nikkei.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: goldenarchestheory; mcdonalds; thomasfriedman; youwantfrieswiththat
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Since both Ukraine and Russia have McDonald's restaurants, Friedman's Theory is disproved.
1 posted on 03/21/2022 4:59:41 PM PDT by FarCenter
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To: FarCenter

Yes. Friedman is a moronic hack. Always has been.


2 posted on 03/21/2022 5:01:33 PM PDT by ifinnegan (Democrats kill babies and harvest their organs to sell)
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To: FarCenter

All Friedman has to do is open his mouth to get disproved.

His is the intellectual level worshiped by the Left. It fits them to a “T”.


3 posted on 03/21/2022 5:01:35 PM PDT by rlmorel (The concept of a "cashless society" is simply a vector for the exercise of tyranny.)
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To: FarCenter

Good point. And was disproved when Russia took Crimea in 2014.


4 posted on 03/21/2022 5:01:39 PM PDT by bhl
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To: FarCenter

It was a pop ripoff of one of R.J. Rummel’s observations of governments of a representative type.


5 posted on 03/21/2022 5:02:32 PM PDT by Tijeras_Slim
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To: All

Russia has Uncle Vanya’s Burgers now.


6 posted on 03/21/2022 5:02:53 PM PDT by escapefromboston (Free Chauvin)
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To: bhl; ifinnegan

Heck they had McDonalds in the Balkans in the 90s. Friedman is a clown, a total buffoon, always wrong.


7 posted on 03/21/2022 5:04:46 PM PDT by KC_Conspirator
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To: FarCenter

One of the Great Idiots of the Western World.


8 posted on 03/21/2022 5:05:24 PM PDT by hinckley buzzard ( Resist the narrative.)
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To: FarCenter

Friedman has always been an idiot.


9 posted on 03/21/2022 5:05:33 PM PDT by Lurkinanloomin ( (Natural born citizens are born here of citizen parents)(Know Islam, No Peace-No Islam, Know Peace)
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To: FarCenter

Norman Angell made the same argument in 1910 in The Great Illusion that due to the interconnectedness of their societies, there would never again be a Great War in Europe.


10 posted on 03/21/2022 5:05:45 PM PDT by DuncanWaring (The Lord uses the good ones; the bad ones use the Lord.)
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To: FarCenter

11 posted on 03/21/2022 5:08:24 PM PDT by martin_fierro (< |:)~)
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To: FarCenter

Friedman struck gold with “From Beirut to Jerusalem”, it’s an excellent and insightful read. I suspect he either suffered a significant head injury or started believing his own press shortly afterwards because just about everything he’s said or written afterwards is clichéd garbage.

As for McDonalds, I think a lot more should be written about what market forces caused the Clown to abandon millions to billions of dollars of investment to stay on the good side of the global elite, and what they got in return.


12 posted on 03/21/2022 5:08:34 PM PDT by jz638
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To: FarCenter

What about Starbucks, Burger King, and Dairy Queen?


13 posted on 03/21/2022 5:12:36 PM PDT by Repeal The 17th (Get out of the matrix and get a real life.)
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To: jz638

“Friedman struck gold with “From Beirut to Jerusalem”, it’s an excellent and insightful read. I suspect he either suffered a significant head injury or started believing his own press shortly afterwards because just about everything he’s said or written afterwards is clichéd garbage.”

1989 When that book came out. I read it. Nothing Friedman has done since then has been worthwhile. BUT they love his arse in DC and NYC and that’s all he cares about. He has been stupid and pompous for years.


14 posted on 03/21/2022 5:12:46 PM PDT by dennisw
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To: FarCenter

When you’re living off your wife’s millions, you grow into a brain dead idea. I call this the “John Kerry Syndrome.”


15 posted on 03/21/2022 5:13:19 PM PDT by Huskrrrr (Alinsky, you magnificent Bastard, I read your book!)
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To: FarCenter

It was disproved when NATO bombed Serbia in 1999.


16 posted on 03/21/2022 5:13:27 PM PDT by Captain Walker ("If you think tough men are dangerous, wait until you see what weak men are capable of."- J Peterson)
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To: FarCenter

Iraq has McDonald’s.


17 posted on 03/21/2022 5:14:05 PM PDT by plain talk
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To: Huskrrrr

idea = idiot.


18 posted on 03/21/2022 5:14:19 PM PDT by Huskrrrr (Alinsky, you magnificent Bastard, I read your book!)
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To: FarCenter

While this is false, The entire west has been in the process of “cancelling” russia. So this idea in that sense, is indeed true


19 posted on 03/21/2022 5:14:41 PM PDT by SPDSHDW (You get what you let occur with no resistance. Everything Joepedo n' felons do is on your head.)
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To: FarCenter

Taco Bell will win the Franchise Wars.


20 posted on 03/21/2022 5:15:03 PM PDT by BenLurkin ((The above is not a statement of fact. It is either opinion, or satire. Or both.))
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