edwardian society

• The play is set in 1912 - in Edwardian England, which is quite similar to Victorian England
• Factory owners could pay workers whatever they wanted - they became really rich and they had lots of power (Mr Birling)
• "Deserving poor" = most poor people were the deserving poor - they worked hard but didn't get paid well
• Yet most rich people believed the poor were mainly "undeserving poor"