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The Dell Theory Of Conflict Prevention Essay

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In a world experiencing both the engagement and pushback of globalization, scholars seek to understand how neoliberal behavior affects the world. Thomas Friedman, in his book The World is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-First Century, offers an explanation of one significant interaction in today’s world – that of economic interdependence and conflict between states. This economic interdependence refers to global supply chains – a necessity for companies who wish to remain competitive. His theory, titled “The Dell Theory of Conflict Prevention” after a study of the Dell supply chain, states that “no two countries that are both part of a major global supply chain will ever fight a war against each other as long as they are both part of the same global supply chain.” While his argument explains recent historical scenarios, about which the next section will go further in-depth, Friedman fails to consider a neorealist and constructivist approach to his thought. The Dell Theory of Conflict Prevention only carries explanatory power in an idealized world and cannot predict conflicts involving interests and identity, even within the realm of economic activity. Thomas Friedman first considers his theory of conflict prevention in his 1999 novel The Lexus and the Olive Tree as the Golden Arches Theory of Conflict Prevention. He develops this based on the observation that no two countries with McDonald’s restaurants had fought a war against each other since each country got its

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