Peace through McDonaldization? Exploring the theory of Golden Arches in Pakistan-India relations through a complex interdependence lens

This study elaborates characteristics of the theory of Golden Arches (GA) to assess whether the military ambitions concerning Pakistan–India relations were affected in the wake of McDonaldization or not, while establishing connections with the theory of Complex Interdependence (CI) for a more critical inquiry. McDonald’s and other multinational corporations create economic interdependence between countries and increase the costs of the conflict, which can contribute to more peaceful relationships. However, the relationship between India and Pakistan is tensed with historical distrust. Although economic interdependence may limit the freedom of maneuver in the security sphere, the competition in the security and military fields, along with the conflicting claims to the territory of the disputed region of Kashmir, still has a significant impact on Islamabad and New Delhi’s policies. Larger volumes of trade and investment do not erase periodic crises and militarized disputes in the region. Consumer brands can only partially erase geostrategic dynamics from the calculations of States. Security based nationalist approaches continue to play a significant role in decision making while globalization influences economic policies. Still fast-food diplomacy that could comprehensively be called McDonaldization between India and Pakistan could be seen, yet the impact it could bring on changing the bitter rivalry between the two countries is questionable without addressing the core issues as emphasized by CI.