This book completes Galbraith's modern history trilogy which began with "The Affluent Society". Here he describes the modern phenomenon of the contented wealthy: a large class of affluent people who have no short-term interest in using their resources to help the poorer classes. In short, this is the modern liberal politician's dilemma. Galbraith describes the current situation in the western world, and writes pessimistically of what history teaches us is likely to happen.