It is not disarming when Professor Dahrendorf writes, in the very first sentence of his Preface: 'The subject of this volume is simple: what are human societies about?' And later: 'What is human society and its history about?' The intention is probably to appear informal, friendly and approachable, and at the same time to be profound in theme: but the effect is depressing.

LRB 19 June 1980 | PDF Download