Theme Of Social Responsibility In An Inspector Calls

Priestley wrote “An Inspector Calls” in 1945, when two dominant superpowers, representing the conflicting ideologies of capitalism and socialism, emerged victorious at the end of the Second World War. The play focuses on the conflict of interest between capitalism and socialism: social responsibility. Birling is symbolic of self-interested capitalism, an ideology that completely rejects all forms of social responsibility: ‘a man has to mind his own business and look after himself and his own’. Inspector Goole is a mouthpiece for Priestley's authorial voice, insisting that social responsibilities be acknowledged: ‘We are responsible for each other’. Priestley portrays the capitalist, Birling, as the foolish antagonist of the play and the socialist,

Goole is introduced immediately after Birling’s declarations that ‘a man has to mind his own business’, indicating that he will offer a counterpoint. Priestley has Goole do this by focusing his lines of inquiry on the social, rather than legal, transgressions an inspector would not ordinarily be interested in. Goole condemns Birling for firing striking workers merely because he considers it his ‘duty to keep labour costs down’. Goole tells Birling that ‘it’s better to ask for the earth than to take it', which prompts Birling to warn Goole that he is an old friend of the Chief

We are responsible for each other.’ Priestley (through Goole) presents social responsibility as a moral duty necessary for all of us to share as society is 'one body’ and not a hierarchy of different classes. In addition, Priestley vilifies Birling by having him consistently mention the damage that the news of the investigation will do to his career. Birling claims he ‘was almost certain for a knighthood’ and must ‘cover this up as soon as I can’. The portrayal of the characters ensures that Priestley’s view on social responsibility (echoed by Goole) is favoured both in the play and by the