Volume III deals with the 'long twentieth century'. Its main themes are:

* the contraction of British industrial power and the shift to a service-based economy

* the decline of Victorianism and the rise of Modernism

* the climax of class society between the wars and the blurring of class lines after the 1960s

* the impact of two world wars

* the decline of British power and the empire

* the partition of Ireland

* the devolution of power to Wales and Scotland.