AIC context

• an inspector calls is based in


  1912
• an inspector calls was written in


  1945
• what was class system like in 1912?

  - rigid class system with little social mobility -> this was a continuation of the victorian eras fixed social structure

  - in early 1900s, 25% of people lived in poverty, 10% lived below subsistence
• what was the driving force for the poverty in early 1900s? and who was an indictment of this?

  - the driving force behind this was underpayment of workers

  - Priestley creates Eva as an indictment of this inhumane treatment of the working class

  - so Eva stays poor as mr Birling pays his worker less so he can get more which exacerbates the class divide because the rich stay rich and the poor stay poor -> works in the riches favour
• what was class system like in 1945?

  - increased social mobility arose when the equal pay franchise act 1928 was introduced -> all men and women over 21 could vote

  - opressed lower classes now had a political voice

  - despite enfranchisement there was still prejudices around working classes
• what is Priestley aiming to highlight to his 1945 audience?

  - Priestley aims to highlight the detrimental impacts of class divide to his 1945 audience through the example of 1912 society

  - showing the audience 1912 society being very segregated, Priestley is encouraging his audience to reflect on how far they have come and how they don't want to regress back to this rigid class system

  - more social mobility provides more equality for people as shown in 1945 as people have a chance to vote and voice their political views