aic- context

• Capitalism


  An economic and political system in which a country's trade and industry are controlled by private owners for profit rather than by the state.
• Socialism


  A political and economic theory of social organization which advocates that the means of production, distribution, and exchange should be owned or regulated by the community.
• Social inequality


  The unequal distribution of wealth, resources, and opportunities among different groups in society.
• Hypocrisy


  The practice of claiming to have moral standards or beliefs to which one's own behaviour does not conform.
• Collectivism


  The practice or principle of giving a group priority over individuals.
• Individualism


  A moral, political, or social philosophy that emphasizes the moral worth of the individual.
• Dramatic irony


  A literary device in which the audience knows more about a situation than the characters do.
• Foreshadowing


  A literary device in which a writer hints at events that will occur later in the story.
• Conscience


  A person's moral sense of right and wrong, viewed as acting as a guide to one's behaviour.
• Responsibility


  The state or fact of having a duty to deal with something or of having control over someone.
• Complacent


  Showing smug or uncritical satisfaction with oneself or one's achievements.
• Enigmatic


  Difficult to interpret or understand; mysterious.
• Bourgeoisie


  The capitalist class who own most of society's wealth and means of production.
• Proletariat


  The working class or labouring class.
• Didactic


  Intended to teach, particularly in having moral instruction as an aim.
• Just before the sinking of the Titanic and a couple of years before WW1. British society was completely divided by class; There was a miner's strike in 1912 -the largest the country had ever seen- and the Labour Party formed in 1906 to represent the interests of the working class.
• Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU)


  Women-only organization that campaigned for the vote for women
• Priestley: 'WW1 was a 'huge, murderous public folly' and felt that 'the British command specialised in throwing men away for nothing''
• Priestley fought in the war and lost many friends and cited the war as the cause for his prejudice against the ruling class
• By 1918 women over 30 were given the right to vote
• The Great Depression / The Great Slump


  A period of national economic downturn in the 1930s which had its origins in the global Great Depression
• The Beveridge Report (published 1942)


  Proposed the creation of a Welfare State. Called for a dramatic turn in British social policy with provision for nationalised healthcare (NHS) and free education
• The Labour Party adopted the report and offered a new comprehensive welfare policy reflecting a consensus that social changes were needed
• MR BIRLING: ''…Crofts and Birlings… working together, for lower costs and higher prices.''
• MR BIRLING: ''We're in for a time of steadily increasing prosperity.''
• MR BIRLING: ''I'm talking as a hard-headed, practical man of business. And I say there isn't a chance of war.''
• MR BIRLING: ''There'll be peace and prosperity and rapid progress everywhere.''
• MR BIRLING: ''I don't want to lecture you two fellows again.''
• MRS BIRLING: ''Just keep quiet, Eric, and don't get excited.''
• MRS BIRLING: ''It has nothing to do with the wretched girl's suicide.''
• MRS BIRLING: ''I can't accept any responsibility.''
• MRS BIRLING: ''She was a lively good-looking girl.''
• MRS BIRLING: ''There isn't the slightest reason why my daughter should be dragged into this unpleasant business.''
• ERIC: ''Look, Inspector – I'd give thousands – yes, thousands ''
• ERIC: ''There'll be a public scandal.''
• MRS BIRLING: ''Girls of that class-''
• MRS BIRLING: ''Though naturally I don't know anything about this girl.''
• MRS BIRLING: ''We've done a great deal of useful work in helping deserving cases.''
• MRS BIRLING: ''You have no power to make me change my mind.''
• MRS BIRLING: ''Go and look for the father of the child. It's his responsibility.''