This work investigates whether the rise of organized interest groups in British public life, a phenomenon termed corporatism, undermines the traditional mechanisms of parliamentary accountability. Authors Colin Crouch and Ronald Dore utilize findings from a study commissioned by the Social Science Research Council to analyze how professional organizations, trade associations, and pressure groups integrated into government administration during the 1970s. The text evaluates the tension between these non-elected bodies and democratic governance, questioning the long-term implications of their influence on public service delivery.

Experts recognize this text as a foundational analysis of the corporatist era in British politics. Scholars frequently cite the book for its detailed examination of the structural challenges posed by organized interests to democratic oversight.