Changing Attitudes To Women In Society (why?) Flashcards
Social change
Social change was the most important factor in catw by 1918
In 1857 they could divorce a husband who was cruel or if they had been abandoned.
By 1891 they could live separately from their husbands if they so wished.
The attitude towards woman was changing
As the (Scotland) education act meant that children from ages 5-13 including girls had to go to school.
This meant that literacy and numeracy rates amongst women increased.
Arguably the fact women were being educated
Meant they had a boost in status + they were regarded as more rational and capable to vote.
Therefore social change was the most important factor.
Furthermore, Historian Pugh said “their involvement in local government means their exclusion from national elections was increasingly untenable”
This meant that women gaining the vote in local communities made it more difficult to defend their barring from the national election.
and so attitudes to women further evolved in society.
In evaluation
social change is clearly the most important factor as there was a clear evolution in views over women’s capability.
This is shown by the first university for women being as early as 1870 (girton college, Cambridge).
Overall, social change = imp than women’s war work as it was about shifting ideas to the point that female enfranchisement was embraced.
The fact that lower class women did not gain the vote in 1918 further suggests that www was not the most convincing factor.
Women’s war work
Intro
Changed name of magazine from suffragette to britiannica
To encourage male enlistment
During the war
commonly worked in dangerous + previously male dominated fields
Over 700,000 women worked in munitions
Posed Many risks such as explosion and tnt poisoning
Arguably women were viewed differently during the war
They set aside campaigns to support the war effort
This broke the fragile stereotype earning them respect amongst society and further supporting their enfranchisement.
Furthermore, historian Rover said “public opinion became overwhelmingly favourable towards women”
shows the appreciation and admiration for women’s role within society +++ due to their contribution during the war
thus establishing more of a platform to convince the government that women should gain the vote.
In evaluation, women’s war work was quite important as a reason for the enfranchisement of women in 1918 as their crucial role in the war effort resulted in women being more highly regarded and appreciated within society;
however, women’s war work was not as important as social change where between 1870-1894 women could vote and stand for election to school boards, county councils, Boards of Guardians for poor housing, and Parish and District Councils.
Overall, social change was more important than women’s war work because ultimately the evolution of society’s view of women and their capabilities meant that much of the groundwork was laid before the war through the improvement of women’s legal rights and education levels which logically led to the enfranchisement of women.
The suffragettes
The Suffragettes were a less important reason for the enfranchisement of women in 1918.
Due to the perceived ineffectiveness of the NUWSS, EP founded the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU) in 1903,
which used militant tactics under the guise of their motto “deeds not words”.
The WSPU became widely known throughout Britain due to the shocking events that certainly gained public attention
such as Emily Davison being killed by the King’s horse at the Epsom derby in 1913, whilst waving WSPU colours.
Arguably, this shows that through the use of their passionate and aggressive acts they attracted significant attention and publicity for their cause
the British public became progressively more sympathetic because there were martyrs attached to the campaign,
thus proving the suffragettes as a powerful reason for enfranchisement.
However, the Suffragettes were less important because the acts of brutality such as Theresa Garnet attacking Churchill with a dog whip in 1909
resulted in many people losing respect and support for the cause as people felt that women were irrational and therefore not deserving of the vote,
which harmed the reputation of the WSPU.
In evaluation, the Suffragettes were quite important as they gained great publicity through their campaigns which was necessary for the women’s suffrage campaign, however the suffragettes were less important for why women received enfranchisement than social change since the suffragette’s process of campaigning was highly violent and destructive changing the mind of MP’s for giving women the vote,
an example of this would be the attack on Churchill with a dog whip causing a widespread outrage creating a bad image for women’s suffrage.
Whereas social change pushed positive attitudes towards women and their abilities as seen in the many acts such as the 1880 Education Act made to improve their lives in society.
Overall, social change was the pivotal factor because it was bringing positive impacts on women’s lives and gained opportunities towards women.
The suffragists
The suffragists were a somewhat important reason for the enfranchisement of some women in 1918.
The NUWSS (est. 1897) carried out a campaign of ‘peaceful persuasion’ which included meetings, pamphlets, petitions and parliamentary bills as methods in attempt to gain women the vote.
The Suffragists had a membership of c.53,000 by 1914 and they reached agreements of mutual support with the new Labour Party and some male trade unions.
Arguably, this shows that the multitude of Suffragist actions resulted in significant groups starting to favour women’s rights
which resulted in many people becoming aware of the issue and showing their support publicly; therefore strengthening the movement.
However, the Suffragists were a less important reason for the enfranchisement of women in 1918, as since the Suffrage society’s origin in 1866 (and despite the Parliamentary Reform Act in 1867), there had been no voting rights for women for over 50 years suggesting an extremely slow and ineffective progression.
In evaluation, the work of the suffragists was an important factor in some women becoming enfranchised in 1918 as their peaceful campaign was generally supported by the public and key establishments,
however it was not as important as social change as in 1857 women were given the right to divorce their husband who was cruel, or if they had been abandoned.
Overall, social change was more important than the work of the suffragists as the evolving perception of women in time logically led to the granting of women’s suffrage, compared to the proportionally small membership of the suffragists which limited their influence, thus proving social change to be the most important factor in some women becoming enfranchised in 1918.
International example
International example was (amount) important reason for the enfranchisement of women in 1918,
as multiple (current and former) British colonies globally had already given women the vote, such as New Zealand in 1893 and Australia 1902.
There was also a widespread fear of revolution within government after the rent strikes in Glasgow in 1915
which contributed to fears that working class women were becoming impatient about their place within society,
so were demonstrating their willingness to stand up against authority, especially when there was a significant growth of socialist feeling abroad.
Arguably, this shows that the “mother of democracy,” Britain faced criticism for denying women the vote while other nations had already enfranchised them and fears of a socialist uprising, inspired by events abroad,
also pressured the government to support women’s enfranchisement to ease frustrations and maintain stability.
However, international example is less important considering the British govt introduced the 1918 Act
granting partial enfranchisement 25 years after New Zealand introduced the vote for women, this meant a long time passed before Britain granted women enfranchisement and if the govt were inspired by events abroad, surely a more rapid reaction would have happened,
thus lessening the importance of international example.
In evaluation, international example was less important in explaining the reasons for women gaining enfranchisement in 1918.
Other countries were giving women increased voting rights created a belief that the government would follow suit and enfranchise women.
However, social change was the most important reason for women achieving enfranchisement in 1918 because, as of 1870-94, women were now able to vote and stand in school board elections and also Parish and District Councils.
Overall, international example was important as it showed an example to follow but did not directly invoke any real change in Britain, whereas social change was a series of small changes whose overall impact led Britons and the government to change their views on the enfranchisement of women.
