First published in 1971, Contemporary Britain presents lectures by Barbara Wootton, well known as a socialist and agnostic and her opinions habitually run counter to those of the political Right and occasionally also to those of the Left. In these lectures she surveys the state of the nation from the angle of her personal philosophy, in a wide-ranging review which covers, amongst other topics, collective bargaining and incomes policy; legislation on abortion, censorship and gambling; the validity of opinion polls; the rise in crime, the decline in religious belief, and the need to popularize a secular morality based only on consideration for others.

Incisively written and infused with a warm humanity, this book will be an interesting read for students of British politics and political science in general.