First published in 1971, this book argues that schools at the time were underpowered, due partly to circumstances within contemporary educational institutions, but chiefly to their relationships with the wider social environment.

The book focuses particularly on the bureaucratization of education and the growing conflict between teachers and academic administrators. It also examines the dangers of cyber-culture but rejects its hopes of an anarchistic order as illusory. It concludes that power in educational institutions was not effectively mobilized to meet its goals. It also contributes to the analysis of social relations in English education.