This important and timely book makes a vital academic and political statement in the cause of social justice. It begins with an appreciation of the path-breaking contribution of Peter Townsend (1[zasłonięte]928-20) to sociological methods and then considers his seminal work on a wide range of policy areas - poverty, social security and income inequality, health inequalities, disability, human rights and international social policy - and applies his insights to contemporary policy debates. The book challenges the present direction of social policy and, in particular, the pessimistic analysis of the Conservative-Liberal Democrat Coalition government about the need to cut collective welfare and to promote the primacy of the market and individual self-interest over the provision of security for all, especially the most vulnerable. It presents a powerfully reasoned and compelling manifesto for change for students and researchers in the social sciences, policy makers and practitioners, and everybody with an interest in creating a more equal and socially just society.