Posted by Adam Quinan on November 03, 2008 at 17:11:47 user Adam.
Recent news about the disruptions in the world's financial and trade systems reminded me that most, if not all of Ransome's Swallows and Amazons books were set during the great Depression which affected the UK from about 1930-1934.
Now I don't expect Ransome writing about John and Nancy sitting around discussing whether the newfangled Keynesian economic measures will alleviate the hardship of the Dixons with their farm generated income slump or whether collectivization of farms would solve the crisis of capitalism. But even the working people of the Broads (the D&G's fathers), while being careful with their money, don't seem to have passed on any worries to their sons about fearing job losses or the drop in tourist bookings for the Margoletta in the upcoming season.
Did the depression really not impact daily life so much or was Ransome glossing over real hardships that were affecting many people. I suspect the latter