Final answer:
William Hogarth, not Richard Hoggart, used his satirical prints to criticize the excesses of eighteenth-century British society including sex, alcohol, and pretentious social climbing. His work, 'A Rake's Progress', for example, depicted the consequences of such a lifestyle across various social classes.
Step-by-step explanation:
Richard Hoggart, in his works, did not directly attack the issues represented in 'The Way We Live Now'. Instead, it was William Hogarth who used his satirical prints to critique the excesses of eighteenth-century Britain. Through his artworks such as 'A Rake's Progress', Hogarth revealed the follies and vices of society, from the decadent aristocrats to the clergy. His prints were highly popular and depicted moral and social commentary on the lifestyle of the times, which involved sex, alcohol, extravagance, and the challenges posed by social mobility as a result of the burgeoning merchant trade.
Hogarth's work was a reflection of contemporary concerns and was innovative in its visual storytelling method, which has been called a kind of visual theatre. For instance, 'A Rake's Progress' illustrates the downward spiral of its protagonist Tom and includes various societal figures in its criticism, revealing how such lifestyles were enabled and even encouraged across different social strata.