The Mass Observation Project (MOP) is an extraordinary resource for students of the behaviour and opinions of the British public. Individuals write for the project on a voluntary basis, and they do so in response to prompts, which allow them to develop a discussion of the subject in any way they wish. Those who write for MOP, often doing so over many years, are active citizens by any definition, and we begin and end this book by quoting their views on voluntary action. As our first (anonymised) writer for the MOP indicates, voluntary action is a crucial component of British society. But as the blunt response from our second writer implies, there is scepticism about the motives of political leaders calling for more engagement, and a lack of comprehension of what a policy to promote engagement might involve. This reflects a wider lack of understanding of the nature of voluntary action which is evident in both academic writing and non-academic discourse. Margaret Thatcher's view was that voluntary action was informal and local in character, deeply rooted in family and community.