"Apple Cart" exposes the unreality of both democracy and royalty as idealists conceive them. "On the Rocks" contains a passionate and persuasive attack on racialism and in "Geneva", Shaw satirizes characters representing Hitler, Mussolini and Franco as they defend their records at the Court of International Justice.

Autorentext

George Bernard Shaw

Klappentext

While some of Shaw's earlier plays are still performed his later plays such as the ones in this volume are barely known. As the collective title indicates the themes here are political; yet frankly it is doubtful how seriously we can now take Shaw as a political thinker. Despite writing in the 1930s he has little to say of the nature of totalitarianism: although he satirises Fascist dictators in "Geneva" the satire is disappointingly mild. Neither did Shaw appear to foresee (on the evidence of these plays at least) the imminent collapse of the British Empire.But it is Shaw the dramatist rather than Shaw the political philosopher who still holds our attention - even in plays as explicitly political as these. He had a sharp intellect and a quirky sense of humour and his dialogue still glints and sparkles: he couldn't write a dull line if he tried. No matter how serious the themes he addresses the crispness of his writing and his lightness of touch still scintillate.Shaw seems perhaps unfairly out of fashion nowadays. But even in these lesser-known works he demonstrates his matchless ability still undimmed to provoke and to entertain.

Zusammenfassung
Raises doubts on how seriously we can take Shaw as a political thinker. This title states that despite writing in the 1930s, he has little to say of the nature of totalitarianism. It shows that although he satirises Fascist dictators in "Geneva", the satire is disappointingly mild.