This shows a lack of compassion by Birling, as he only cares about his wealth and status, and the profits he can gain from his factories. He refers to the working class as "these people" and clearly shows contempt for them. Also, the use of "these people" shows as Birling seeing himself as very superior and separate, and also doesn't want to do anything to build a supportive working community within the factory. People are seen as machines and are expendable to Birling, rather than individual people who have their own dreams and thoughts. In response, Priestley uses satire when the Inspector responds by saying: "After all, it's better to ask for the Earth than to take it."
Thirdly the family acts as a comfort for the stresses and frustrations of working class men they are there to ‘Cushion the main provider’. Lastly the family as a unit of consumption buys the goods and services provided by capitalism. These functions benefit the minority in power, the bourgeoisie, and the economy. The functions disadvantage the working class society, the proletariat. One way the family serves capitalism is the socialisation of the young into the ruling class ideology.
Employers had no compassion or empathy for their workers who slaved away in their factories. Because immigrant labor was cheap, it was often exploited by the employer. Workers tried to better the situation by unionizing and have a show of strength with the numbers of workers. The big businesses, used government support to suppress the organization of strikes or work revolts. However, when unions rised up and demanded fair wages, employers would have to consider these demands and negotiations would have to take place.
Labor Unions and working Conditions. Working conditions were part of the problems that Labor Unions took care of. At the beginning of the industrial Revolution there were not many laws made for working field, without laws or having being told how to have a company/factory kept, owners were too uncaring and paid a little attention to the cleanliness of the business but more to the profit that was being made. Also owners were not paying their employees enough money, and the factories were unsafe. The cause of the problem was that owners were selfish and very greedy.
This is Priestley suggesting we need to look after each other; this is the idea of a socialist. Mr Birling is a social climber and a traditionalist “a man has to mind his own business and look after himself and his own” these words express Mr Birling’s capitalist views. Mr Birling’s attitude to the lower class and women are that they are cheap labour “averaging about twenty-two and six which was no more or less than is paid generally in our labour” this shows that Mr Birling is selfish and does not care about the lower class. Priestley uses the Inspector to highlight Mr Birling’s lack of insight over the Eva situation “56, your offering the money at the wrong time.” The Inspector offers moral, not legal lessons. Mr Birling appears not to know the difference.
Durkheim sees anomie as responsible for the world’s disorder of economics- the lack of morality and regulation resulted in overpowering the weak; thus, he feels that only norms can prevent the abuse of power and calls for regulation and equal opportunity from birth- the greater the equal opportunity the less need for restraint. Marx looked at how capitalism separated humanity by making work a simple means of individual existence. In addition he describes society in terms of class and economic conflicts. Marx saw proletariat or people of a working class as being underneath the bourgeoisie or the capitalist of a modern society. Marx looked at how alienation of production of commodities by workers also leads to alienation of social life.
It he trustworthy to take over the company? Eric represents people who are unhappy with their wealth and who are supported by their parents and behave recklessly. He seems to be telling us that this younger generation of upper class people can change and be more fair. Eric is well educated and has some good morals unlike his dad ‘Mr Birling’. Eric used Eva but when she fell pregnant Eric did the right thing and offered her help to solve her money problems.
An Inspector Calls by J. B. Priestley, set in 1912, replicates the views and opinions of those who believed in social class. The material wealth in the society blinded those who believed in social class into accepting that they had no responsibility in the society. This play has a moral message of caring for others and working in a community to create a fairer society. This socialist inspiration for Priestley came from Bernard Shaws and H. G. Wellses, who also had communist aims for the society.
Karma comes back to deal with all the immoral people and their actions. Tom lost his mistress, George Wilson lost his temper, and Gatsby is paid the ultimate price, his life. Gatsby’s American dream was attained the immoral way and he was only living for pleasure and in the moment. His dream of high social status, wealth, and his past love ultimately leads to his
As a result, they have no option to not work as they have a poor status in society and work under capitalism is poorly paid, alienating, unsatisfying and something workers have no control of. These two systems are the systems that Marx disagrees with and wanted to change as it is creating conflict between the two classes. He wanted the proletariat to recognise this exploitation and demand higher wages, better working conditions and for the whole capitalism to stop. Furthermore, the Marxist, Louis Althusser has a theory of the role of education as being an important ISA. The ideological state apparatus, which is one of the two elements, that Althusser believes in maintains the rule of the bourgeois by controlling people’s idea, values and beliefs.