| The mainstream literature in International Political Economy has been for some time centered on the notion of hegemonic stability. The middle powers, or for that matter important Third World countries--even with large populations--are given low priority. The purpose of this thesis, however, is not to take issue with or make a critique of the theory of hegemonic stability but to underscore the relevance of the developing countries as a force in the international system that the hegemonic stability thesis completely ignores. We have discussed the need to incorporate the deveioping country as an element in the realist perspective of international politics.;The present study examines the international economic order by focusing on one of the international economic regimes--the trading regimes represented by the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade. The purpose is to highlight the importance of the Third World countries in the international system, at least in non-security matters. Notwithstanding the low proportion of international trade they account for, the importance of these countries in the regime seems to be increasing. Developing countries have made their presence felt in the erstwhile 'rich man's club' of the world.;Specifically, this thesis examines the place of a developing country, India, in the international economic order represented by the international regime and the international division of labour. Its findings should have an indirect relevance for the interpretation of international system manifested in the regimes literature.;In the theoretical section, a critique of regime analysis from the Third World perspective has been offered. In the empirical section, we have discussed the role of India in the GATT since the beginning to the present. In the concluding section, we have summarised the implications of the Third World participation in the regime making for the theory of international relations, and have discussed the future of the trading order. |
