Socialism vs Capitalism
English Lit: AQA GCSE An Inspector Calls, topic 2.1.4
The Rise of Socialism
An Inspector Calls is set in 1912, in pre-war Britain. There was a strong class system, which people strictly stuck to. Society was generally capitalist. The upper-classes generally benefited more from life than the lower-classes did.
Capitalism
- In a capitalist society, a small number of people (the wealthy upper class) invest in, and own, all means of production (making) and distribution (movement of goods).
- Lower-class people work for them and earn a small amount of money – i.e. industry and businesses are privately owned.
- This often means that a few people in society hold all of the wealth and power.
20th Century rebellion
- At the start of the 20th century, people were beginning to rebel against a capitalist society. People wanted a fairer, more equal society instead.
- From the 1910s onwards, more and more strikes took place because lower-class workers were unhappy with their working conditions and their capitalist society.
- In the 1920s/1930s, the Great Depression hit.
- This caused huge economic problems – one of the causes of this financial crash was the cost of World War One.
Priestley and Socialism
An Inspector Calls was written in 1945, but the text was set in 1912, just before the outbreak of World War One in 1914. J.B. Priestley lived through and fought in World War One. He saw the devastating consequences of war and capitalism.
Priestley's anti-capitalist message
- Priestley had seen the outcome of the World Wars, where so many people had been killed and countries had been left in ruins.
- He wanted to show his audience that capitalist ideas can cause enormous problems.
- He also wanted to show people that society needed to change. People needed to care more for one another.
- People also needed to end their obsessions with self-importance, power and wealth.
Priestley the socialist
- Priestley was a socialist – he believed that people in society should take care of, and look after, one another.
- He believed that wealthy people have a duty to look after poorer people.
- He believed that we should tax the wealthy more to fund a welfare state.
- He believed that we should end the class system.
Priestley's view on wars
- Priestley suggests that selfish people cause wars.
- i.e. selfish people who care only about their own success and power, and who do not care about the impact of their own selfish acts.
Socialism and Characterisation
Here's a summary of how Priestley weaves socialism into his characterisation:
Mr Birling
- Throughout the play, Mr Birling is made to look like an idiot (meaning the upper-classes look like idiots) because of his obsession with capitalist ideas.
- Priestley uses dramatic irony (when the audience know something the characters don’t) to make Birling look foolish.
- Birling says the Titanic would never sink and that there would never be a war.
Birlings and Gerald
- Priestley uses the Birlings and Gerald to highlight the unfairness in a capitalist society.
- Priestley uses Eva Smith's story to show how selfish, capitalist attitudes can hurt individual people.
Test yourself on Socialism vs Capitalism
What year is An Inspector Calls set in?
An Inspector Calls is set in 1912. Which of these are true of the time?
Which of these are true about Priestley?
What do the Birlings and Gerald highlight?
What is dramatic irony?