JB Priestley, (13 September 1894 – 14 August 1984) was an English writer, playwright and television presenter. He has published 27 novels. His achievement included literary and social criticism. One of the reasons why Priestly thought socially was his childhood, when he was a boy, friends with his father and Priestly used to discuss political and social ideas. He worked in a woolen factory as a junior clerk and obviously felt that it was not okay for him to be treated badly and disrespected. He hated the way people thought of others from different social classes, such as unfortunate working-class people. Priestly also detested his boss and compared him to Mr Birling of "an inspector's calls". Priestly does not believe that injustices should occur in communities. German shells exploded 2 or 3 feet from him: more hatred of war. After his military service Priestley received a university education at Trinity Hall, Cambridge. Having joined the army he had to work in a community with another socialist man on the front lines. The actions of the individual and the theme of responsibility became one of the main themes in his works. Society 1912-1945 and the Socialist Message by JB Priestly. The 1912 election saw the Conservatives remain in power, with strong support from the nobility, new industrialists and the middle classes, eager to distance themselves from the working classes. There was a huge gap in the distribution of wealth, with wealthy capitalists often exploiting their workers. Women did not yet have the right to vote. They were still very much controlled by men, passed from father to husband. Marriages were often seen as financial contracts to improve the status of men. Respectable women didn't work, lower class women had to... half paper... little for long hours, women especially had little power over their own lives. This was the exact opposite of what Priestley wanted! World War I brought confusion and forced change as all classes were forced to work and fight together, as well as greater freedoms for women. But after the war, things went back to the way they were before. At the outbreak of World War II, it was obvious that lives had been lost for nothing and that lessons had not been learned, and he felt that society needed to change radically and forever. Social Responsibility: We should all take responsibility for others and our actions have consequences. The public was wanted to reflect on actions on a personal basis and to agitate for wider social change, so as not to return to pre-war injustice and the need for the Welfare State. In 1945, the reformist Labor government introduced and set in motion plans for the welfare state – social security from birth to death.