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Another Kind of Big Mac Index

Share / Recommend - Comment - Print - Tuesday, Nov 17 2009, 12:51PM

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In an apparent effort to dumb down the concept of Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) for its readership, The Economist developed what it calls the "Big Mac Index."

I don't know how much a Big Mac costs in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, but I do know that you can't buy one at a McDonald's there.

As you can see from this picture I took in the Turkish part of Lefkosa (Nicosia), Cyprus, McDonald's is called "Bigmac" there. Not to be outdone, Turkish Cypriots can buy a Whopper at their local "Burger City."

According to the folks in Cyprus, the fast-food chains must take on pseudonyms because Greek Cypriots in the south own the exclusive rights to open franchises on the island.

-- Ben Katcher

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Posted by JohnH, Nov 17 2009, 8:24PM - Link

Earlier Ben wrote, "What can America offer its allies?" Good question.

Unfortunately for the militants running US policy, the world no longer consists of wealthy Uncle Sam parenting a bunch of kids that he can coax or slap around. Instead, the world now consists of a relatively less wealthy Uncle Sam surrounded by an independent group of nations who are coming of age or have already reached maturity.

Ben suggests that the US could offer Turkey "security guarantees, military assistance, and the benefits that accrue from an alliance with the world' most powerful military." Wow! Sounds like offering a young adult shelter, self defense classes, and the opportunity to be seen with the parents! Now there's an offer you could refuse!

No, the issue is not that the US "bargaining position is paradoxically undermined by its extraordinar[ily powerful] role." Rather the problem is that in a world of responsible adults, maintaining an arsenal of AK-47s and grenade launchers in the basement does not contribute much to solving anyone's problems.

The world has moved on. The US is frozen in its illusions of times gone by.