The volume opens with an assessment of the impact of war, before moving on to examine Britain's continuing role in the wider world, particularly the legacy of Empire, Britain's "special relationship" with the United States, and integration with continental Europe. Domestic politics, the economy, society, and popular culture are also covered, including such topics as class consciousness, immigration and race relations, changing gender roles, and the impact of the mass media.

Where essays include discussion of the last years of the century, they often present the first assessment of recent developments from a self-consciously historical perspective.