This book investigates the systemic erosion of the middle-class lifestyle, questioning whether the traditional markers of stability—home ownership, education, and retirement—are becoming unattainable for the average citizen. David Boyle, a fellow at the New Economics Foundation, utilizes historical analysis and contemporary economic data to argue that the middle class is being hollowed out by rising costs, stagnant wages, and a shift in the social contract. He examines how the promise of the post-war era has been replaced by a precarious reality, framing the decline not as a personal failure but as a structural consequence of modern policy and market forces.

The text provides a critical, accessible examination of economic shifts that have fundamentally altered the prospects of the middle class. Its focus on structural inequality and the decline of traditional security markers makes it a relevant resource for readers interested in contemporary socio-economic trends.