How did women achieve the vote?

Question 1

Introduction

Answer 1

• Prior to the 20th century, women were generally regarded as second class citizens. Despite working alongside men in domestic services as well as sweated trade, their salary was often less than that of their male peers. They often worked in unsanitary conditions and were abused by their male employers- it was not uncommon for female workers to be sexually assaulted or raped by them.
• However, this was applicable to working class women. A woman’s life differentiated depending on their social class. Middle class women were not expected to live a laborious life- they had little freedom and were often told by their fathers or husbands what to do.

Question 2

Paragraph One (The Suffragettes)

Answer 2

• Emmeline Pankhurst, former member of the NUWSS- also known as the Suffragists- created the Suffragette movement after she became dissatisfied with the respectful and peaceful tactics of the NUWSS. The Suffragette movement quickly became infamous for its militancy- suffragette tactics included pouring acid on gold courses with majorly male players, chaining themselves to railings, and most reknownably slashing the Kings portrait.
• An extreme form of Suffragette protest came in the form of the Hunger Strikes: a movement started by Marion Dunlop where women would starve themselves in prison as a response to not being considered political prisoners.
• These actions were considered effective in gaining some women the vote by 1918 because the response to the Hunger Strikes was nothing short of brutal: wardens were instructed by the British Government to force feed the women who chose to go on Hunger Strike. The rough treatment of the Suffragettes by the British government put the government in a bad light and garnered sympathy for the Suffragettes from the British public, pressuring the government to give women the vote.
• However, the Suffragettes were considered less effective in gaining some women the vote by 1918 because many MPs argued at the time that the Suffragettes were a prime example why women should not be given the vote: they were too emotional and immature to handle being given the vote.
• In evaluation, whilst there were limitations such as the Suffragettes were never able to get the issue of women’s suffrage at the top of the political agenda due to other issues taking main focus such as the Budget Crisis in 1909, the impending civil war in Ireland, and multiple other industry related issues prior to 1914, overall the Suffragettes were the most effective in gaining women the vote because there is no doubt that militancy increased interest in votes for women: between the years 1907 and 1914, over 50 new women’s suffrage societies were founded.

Question 3

Paragraph Two (The Suffragists)

Answer 3

• In comparison to the Suffragettes (the WSPU), the Suffragists (the NUWSS), founded by Milicent Fawcett, relied on peaceful tactics to get across the issue of women’s suffrage. After the failure of an amendment that would have given women the vote on the same basis as men in 1867, the Suffragist movement began to gain traction- by 1914, the Suffragists were estimated to have a membership of around 50,000.
• Milicent Fawcett was married to the liberal MP Henry Fawcett, who was able to convince other members of the liberal party to support women’s suffrage. The suffragists were seen as realists for realising that they would need the support from government in order to gain votes for women- through her husband, Fawcett was able to spread the agenda of the franchise and by 1900, there was already evidence that many members of parliament has been ‘won over’ by the Suffragists.
• These actions were considered effective in gaining some women the vote by 1918 because it proved that women were capable of thinking rationally and respectively, and were therefore considered mature enough to MPS to handle being given the vote.
• However, the Suffragists were considered less effective in gaining some women the vote by 1918 because the Suffragists were criticised with being too cautious: they only proposed that a small portion of wealthy, unmarried women should be given the vote. This meant that the majority working class women were less inclined to support the Suffragists and therefore the Suffragists had less influence in Parliament.
• In evaluation, the Suffragists were less important that the Suffragettes in gaining some women the vote by 1918 because anti-suffragists, such as Winston Churchill- who was very influential within the liberal party- argued that women did not need the vote as their demands were already being catered to. He referenced the Married Women’s Property Act of 1870 and 1882 and the Contagious Act of 1886 as evidence, which may have convinced other members in the liberal party that women did not need the vote. Whilst the Suffragettes on the other hand were more important in gaining some women the vote by 1918 because the Suffragist campaign included and supported women from all social classes: they welcomed middle class women and gave great support to working class women, for example, when barmaids, chain makers, and pit-brow workers had their livelihoods threatened, the Suffragettes each came to their aid. This allowed the Suffragettes to weaken class division and garnered them more support and influence.

Question 4

Paragraph Three (War Effort)

Answer 4

• During the outbreak of the First World War, because of propaganda and forced conscription, a majority of the male population in Britain had left for the Western Front to fight, leaving a stark vacancy in jobs that had to be filled. It was women that were called upon to fill that vacancy. Women began taking on traditional male jobs- for example, in public transport. During the First World War, women were being employed as tramway drivers for the very first time.
• Middle class women were noted for joining the ‘Land Army’, working in agriculture to provide food for the population and the many soldiers out on the front. Jobs in government departments and post offices were also jobs being taken up by women during this time. More famously, women took on the role as ‘munitionettes’, creating weapons of war- by Armistice Day, munition factories were employing 950,000 women. This was an extremely dangerous job and many women lost their lives via explosions or working with toxic chemicals with little to no protection for long periods of time. Infamously, on July 1st 1918, 134 workers had lost their lives due to an explosion at Chilwell Arm’s Factory.
• These actions were considered effective in gaining some women the vote by 1918 because it proved to MPs that working class women were capable of taking on male jobs and could be trusted with the vote.
• However, women’s war work was considered less effective in gaining some women the vote by 1918 because it is argued that the war had actually delayed the franchise. Both the Suffragettes and Suffragists had suspended their political campaign to focus on the war effort, therefore the British Government was put under less pressure to grant the franchise due to the war.
• In evaluation, women’s war work was less important than the Suffragettes in gaining some women the vote by 1918 because by 1918 only a small portion of women over 30 years old who owned property had the right to vote, which meant that the majority of women who were working during wartime (who were under 25 years old and not married) still did not have the vote. Whilst the Suffragettes on the other hand were more important in gaining some women the vote by 1918 because the militant work of the suffragettes undoubtedly kept the women’s suffrage movement alive: Milicent Fawcett, founder of the suffragists, credited the militancy of the Suffragists with a rise in membership for the WSPU.

Question 5

Paragraph 4 (Changing Attitudes)

Answer 5

• Over the years of 1850 to 1928, the general attitudes towards women in society were drastically changing. In the early 19th century, women were being educated to be good mothers and wives: they were taught social skills such as singing, playing the piano, dancing and how to speak French- attributes which were meant to aid them in finding a husband. It was commonly regarded that a highly educated woman would not make a good wife nor a good mother. Yet, by 1848, progress could already be seen in terms of women’s education- in this year, the Queen’s College for female teachers was set up.
• However, education was not the only aspect women saw changes for. In 1882, the Married Women’s Property Act enabled women to own their own property even after they were married. Then, in 1887, a law was passed declaring that female householders were allowed to vote in local elections.
• These actions were considered effective in gaining women the vote by 1928 because in 1916, David Lloyd George became Prime Minister, who was supportive of women’s enfranchisement. This shows that government attitudes towards women were becoming more progressive.
• However, the changing attitudes towards women was less effective in gaining some women the vote by 1918 because even though some women were granted the vote by 1918, not many actually participated in voting. This may have convinced government that granting votes for women on the same basis as men was useless if they weren’t going to vote at all.
• In evaluation, changing attitudes towards women were less important that the Suffragettes in gaining some women the vote by 1918 because it brought politicians not even remotely closer to granting women the vote, as women’s enfranchisement was only considered after the effect of the work of the Suffragists and Suffragettes, showing that changing attitudes alone was not enough and an active campaign towards women’s suffrage was necessary. Whilst the Suffragettes on the other hand were more important in gaining some women the vote by 1918 because in November of 1910, after 300 Suffragettes marched to the Houses of Parliament in response to the Conciliation Bill not being passed, they were met with severe police brutality and mob violence which garnered more support for the Suffragettes from the public and press, and therefore the government was put under more pressure to grant votes for women.

Question 6

Paragraph 5 (Influence from other countries)

Answer 6

• Finally, the influence of other countries also proved to be vital in the cause of women’s suffrage. The issue of women’s suffrage had been rife all across the globe, not only in Britain: in 1917, many states in the USA had already given women the right to vote; in 1906, Finland had already granted women the vote, and New Zealand, a country within the British Empire, had given women the vote in 1893. Despite warnings from anti-suffrage campaigners, these countries all remained very stable even after their enfranchisement of women.
• Keen to still be recognised as the ‘mother of democracy’ and greatest Empire on Earth, it was argued that Britain would be seen as an ‘embarrassment’ if they did not follow suit with the next great reform in politics.
• These actions were considered effective in gaining women the vote by 1928 because those who were campaigning for women’s suffrage saw that other countries were naturally giving women the vote which may have boosted their morale and encouraged them to fight harder for their cause.
• However, these actions were considered less effective in gaining women the vote by 1928 because between the years 1914-1918, the British Government was likely much more concerned with their war efforts on the Western Front and at home to care about reforms in other countries.
• In evaluation, the influence of other countries was less effective than the Suffragettes in gaining some women the vote by 1918 because visits from Australasian supporters coincided with the peak of the Suffragette campaign, which reduced their impact by diverting attention. Whilst the Suffragettes on the other hand were more important in gaining some women the vote by 1918 because the fear of a communist revolution was rife in Britain during this time and heightened by the overthrowing and killing of the autocratic Tsar in 1917 by the poorer classes in Russia, and the Rent Strikes in 1915 organised by the Suffragettes added to the governments fear that working class women were not going to sit patiently for the vote forever, and were potentially going to side with revolutionary groups in Britain.