Socialism vs capitalism in An Inspector Calls
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 –
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'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'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.
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 –
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'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'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.
