In 1996, Thomas Friedman wrote a couple of opinion pieces in the foreign affairs section in the New York Times. Friedman put forth a theory called “Golden Arches Theory of Conflict Prevention”. This is theory that said the reason we saw a decline of war in the 90’s and on was a result of the expansion of global capitalism. Specifically Friedman said, “Countries with McDonald’s within their borders do not go to war with other countries with McDonald's within their borders.”
In essence, Friedman was connecting the presence of McDonald’s Golden arches in a country and the decreasing likelihood that country would go to war with another country with the Golden arches within their borders. Isn’t good to know that McDonald’s is the source of the World’s peace.
The trouble with the “Golden Arches Theory of Conflict Prevention” is that on February 24, 2022, Russian invaded Ukraine and started a war. Both countries have McDonald’s in them. Russia has 850 McDonald’s and Ukraine has 101. So, it turns out that Ronald McDonald is NOT the peace broker that Thomas Friedman made him out to be.
Praise God that we serve the real Prince of Peace! Isaiah 9:6 points to Jesus’ coming and His title as Prince of Peace. Jesus came to bring peace between us and God in His first Advent, and in His second coming, He will ultimately bring peace to the world. It is in His Kingdom of Peace that the wolves and leopards will hang out with lambs and goats and Jesus’ peace will even rule in their hearts (Isaiah 11:6).
That peace will not be founded on Big Macs and Quarter Pounders. It will be based on the work of Jesus Christ on the Cross!
(Based on the following sites: https://albertmohler.com/2022/03/10/briefing-3-10-22 - So Having a McDonalds Didn’t Guarantee Peace? Golden Arches Theory of Conflict Prevention Proved Wrong as Russia Invades Ukraine starting at 17:31 accessed 3.11.2022
and https://www.nytimes.com/1996/12/08/opinion/foreign-affairs-big-mac-i.html accessed 3.11.2022 and https://www.romeconomics.com/the-mcdonalds-peace-theory/ accessed 3.11.2022 and https://www.bendbulletin.com/opinion/columnists/the-invasion-of-ukraine-debunks-golden-arches-theory/article_491d7e50-9fbf-11ec-ab15-fba1cef1bc7e.html accessed 3.11.2022 and https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/11/26/mcdonalds-peace-nagornokarabakh-friedman/ accessed 3.11.2022)