A treatise on social theory

The concluding volume of W.G. Runciman's trilogy on social theory applies his theory and methodology to the case of twentieth-century English society. He shows how England's capitalist mode of production, liberal mode of persuasion, and democratic mode of coercion evolved in the aftermath of World War I from what they had been since the 1880s, yet did not evolve significantly following World War II.

His explanation demonstrates that some economic, ideological and political practices were favored over others in an increasingly complex environment, neither predictable nor controllable by policymakers.