GCSE AQA grade 9 detailed and rich in description theme notes.
Includes: capitalism vs socialism, exploitation, wealth and materialism, gender, social responsibility, young vs old generations and social class.
Capitalism vs socialism
o The theme of capitalism vs socialism, alongside social responsibility, was arguably one of Priestley’s main
intentions as Priestley was a socialist
o The Birlings represent the prospering capitalists in society, while the inspector acts as Priestley’s socialist
mouthpiece
o His role in the play is to condemn capitalism and teach socialist ideals
o The play itself illustrates capitalism’s eventual fall to socialism suggesting socialism is the superior, more
beneficial, and more powerful political system
o Priestley presents capitalism as a self-absorbed, amoral system where an individual’s purpose is reduced to their
ability to make money
o Mr Birling is a representative for how capitalism makes people defensive, secretive and hostile as Priestley uses
Mr Birling to reflect capitalism’s arrogance and dominance as Mr Birling is the epitome of greed and capitalism,
while he is the personification of greed and gluttony, with his physical manifestation of his dominance
o The inspector is a personification of socialist ideology, he acts for the good of others, has a clear moral code and
champions social responsibility
o He reigns dominance over the Birlings and challenges them, showing how Priestley wanted capitalism itself to be
held accountable for the destruction it caused
o Eva smith is exploited and abused by the ignorance and of the capitalist system, as Priestley shows how
successful capitalists trapped people in poverty in order to remove competitors from the market and keep the
wealth for themselves
Exploitation
o Eva Smith is exploited by individuals and the system of capitalism
o Eva is vulnerable because she is a working class woman and her position in society exposes her to discrimination
o Priestley presents the ways in which employers prey on the vulnerability of working class women for their own
selfish benefits
o He believed the lower classes were dependant on upper classes and Priestley argues that that the upper classes
exploited this dependency to control others
o Priestley implies the systems of class and power in British society are exploited by the upper class
o Priestley outlines the different forms of exploitation that support and benefit the upper class society, he shows
how the class system and capitalism rely on the exploitation of the weak, vulnerable or powerless
o Mr Birling’s business practices are used by Priestley as an allegory for capitalism’s exploitation of the working
class, he details the ways in which profit is prioritised over personal wellbeing, and how poor are dehumanised
and reduced cheap labour as he takes advantage of poverty and high unemployment rates
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