The book begins with the vicissitudes of political power in antiquity, followed by the highs and lows of economic power from the Middle Ages to the 18th century, with a detailed discussion of the merits and abuses that both gave rise to. Lastly, the author analyses the emergence and development of the individualism that is inherent to economic liberalism, in addition to the modern day rise of the community spirit. Carles Comas argues that because political and economic powers emerged to fulfill irreplaceable social functions of order and development, they would be very hard to remove. Instead, he advocates the progressive solutions of placing institutional limitations on them, underpinned by values of solidarity.