It is the author's contention that an abundance of voluntary action outside the citizen's home, both individually and collectively, for bettering his own and his fellows' lives, are the distinguishing marks of a truly free society. This volume is a study of how such action can be kept alive in the face of the inevitable development of State action and suggests the new forms which co-operation between the State and voluntary Organizations may take, leaving a maximum of freedom and responsibility to the individual.

Voluntary Action is a text of unique value because Beveridge here develops his vision of how a large 'voluntary action' sector could function as a type of buffer zone between the state and the market.