womens Flashcards
(6 cards)
introduction
In 19th century Britain, women were not afforded the same political and legal rights as men. They were perceived to occupy the private sphere of the home, whereas the men were seen to occupy the public spere and this would not change until the Representation of the People Act 1918 would give female suffrage. There were many important factors that contributed to women gaining the vote such as the suffragettes, suffragists, the influence of other countries, the changing attitudes of society and the impact women had on WWI. The most important factor was the impact of WWI.
suffragettes
One factor that helped gain some women the vote was the suffragettes. In 1903, Emmeline Pankhurst formed the suffragettes (WSPU). They used violent tactics such as smashing windows and pouring acid through letterboxes to gain attention. Their motto was ‘Deeds, not words.’ This was important in gaining some women the vote because they regularly made headlines, were talked about in parliament and their violent methods made women’s suffrage a political issue. However, their publicity wasn’t always a good thing. It made it easier for them to be branded as unfit to vote and politicians used this argument as an example of why they shouldn’t be trusted with the vote before 1918.
suffragists
Another factor that helped gain some women the vote was the suffragists. The suffragists (NUWSS) fell under the leadership of Millicent Fawcett in 1897 and became a national movement. They used peaceful tactics such as handing out leaflets and starting and signing petitions. This was important in helping some women gain the vote because they gained the support of backbench MPs who put the issue of women’s suffrage on the political agenda. However, their peaceful tactics failed to make an immediate impact and were easily ignore by politicians who were opposed to women gaining the vote.
influence of other countries
Another factor that helped gain some women the vote was the influence of other countries. A number of countries had started to give women the vote. New Zealand gave women the vote in 1893, and Finland gave women the vote in 1906. This was important in gaining some women the right to vote because the fact that women were enfranchised abroad, particularly in colonies like New Zealand, may have added extra pressure on politicians. It also would have been embarrassing for a county like Britain to fall behind and not give women the vote. However, there is no evidence to suggest that politicians were being influenced by other countries and no record of it being an issue discussed in parliament.
changing attitudes in society
Another factor that helped gain some women the vote was the changing attitudes in society. From 1894, women could vote in local council elections and could stand as a candidate as long as they paid taxes. The Married Women’s Property Act was brought into practice in the 1870s and allowed married women to keep their earnings of up to £200 a year. This was important in gaining some women the vote because new laws were passed and were successfully eroding male prejudices against women and the stereotyped view that of women was perceived as outdated which helped them get the vote. However, despite these legal and societal changes, the franchise for women was not discussed seriously in parliament and were disregarded by politicians.
women’s work in war
The final factor that helped gain some women the vote was women’s work in WWI. Around 919 000 women across Britain were working in the munitions by 1918 to support the war effort. By 1921, there was also over 100 000 women working in offices, compared to 3000 in 1911. This was important in helping some women gain the vote because they were able to prove their national worth and were seen to be rewarded for their efforts. It also gained women respect. However, many women did not meet the requirement to vote. In 1918, munitions workers were mostly under 30 and did not own property, therefore they did not meet the criteria and didn’t benefit from the ‘reward’.
