context

• Inspector Calls was written in 1945 but is set in the fictional world of Brumley in 1912.
• J.B. Priestley deliberately set his play in 1912 because society had clear class and gender divisions that he wanted to discuss.
• By 1945, some of those class divides and gender roles had reduced.
• Priestley wanted to make the most of these changes, encouraging people to build a better, more caring society.
• The play is a didactic morality play, emphasizing the importance of being aware of the consequences of your own actions and that everyone in society should have equal rights.
• During the 1930s, Priestley became very concerned about the consequences of social inequality in Britain, and in 1942 Priestley and others set up a new political party, the Common Wealth Party, which argued for public ownership of land, greater democracy, a fairer economy, and a new morality in politics.
• The party merged with the Labour Party in 1945, but Priestley was influential in developing the idea of the welfare state.
• Priestley used his plays to voice his concerns, allowing him to be a social commentator and philosopher.
• The play highlights the divide between rich and poor, with 87% of wealth owned by 5% of the people, mill owners in big houses, and servants.
• The textile industry was the main industry, with poor working conditions and no minimum work, average working week 65 hours.
• The play features strict rules, with sneezing being a fine.
• The Titanic was advertised as an unsinkable ship.
• The play is aimed at the upper class.
• There were several miners strikes where poorer people tried to improve their quality of life.
• The world wars had a great impact on the rich-poor divide.
• In Socialism, we are responsible for every member in society.
• The welfare state protects and promotes the economic and social well being of the citizens, emphasizing ideas about equality.
• In capitalism, we only look after ourselves and our families, it is up to others to look after their families.
• Capitalism is a profit-based industry, everything Marxists are against.