How far do you agree that in the years 1918–45 women made substantial gains in their position and status? Explain your answer. (20 marks) Flashcards
P1:
Substantial gains– Political
In the years 1918 to 1945, women did make substantial gains
- political status and position
- women gained political importance as a result of the Representation of the People’s Act = able to have a tangible impact on society, improving the lives and importance of women in society.
P2:
Lack of change –Economic
the Victorian attitudes and prejudice that remained prevalent in society= women were not able to make substantial gains in their economic position
-wartime economic gains =short-lived, =that many women returned to their household roles or work that was deemed to be appropriate for women.
P3:
Lack of change – social and political
P1 2 pieces of evidence
The Representation of the People Act of 1918-28
Criminal Law Amendment Act 1922 and Bastardy Act 1923
P2 2 key evidences
‘dilution’ agreement
Employment opportunities were limited
P3 2 key evidence
‘flapper girl’ was a middle-class phenomenon
Great Depression had a disproportionate impact on women
The Representation of the People Act of 1918 enfranchised …
enfranchised women over the age of 30 if they were married, a property owner, or a university graduate meaning that women comprised on 43% of the electorate in December 1918.
The Representation of the People Act of 1928 gave women access to….
the vote on the same terms of men.
Who was the first female MP? and female cabinet member?
MP Nancy Astor became the first female MP
Margaret Bondfield became the first female cabinet member in Ramsay MacDonald’s government in 1929.
Significance of ROPA’s
- Women not only received the vote for the first time but were directly represented in Parliament,
- Gained a political voice
- Increased their political status 🡪 suggests that women made substantial gains in their position.
What came as a result of female representation in parliament?
able to make a tangible impact on society:
why was the criminal law amendment act 1922 and bastardy act 1923 passed?
were passed due to female MPs effort and helped to improve the lives of women.
What did Nancy Astor and Eleanor Rathbone strive to promote?
female-specific issues.
in 1940 what did Astor set up ? and why?
Women Power Committee to investigate and promote female-specific issues
in 1941 who set up the Women’s Consultive Committee and why?
1941 Ernest Bevin
- manage all female participation in the war economy more effectively;
This committee contributed to the registration and conscription of women for work.
by 1945 what % of all elected councillors were women ? and what did this help to do
15%
act as a spring-board into national politics.
As the war came to an end what was no longer needed
war work
what was the ‘dilution agreement’?
skilled workers going off to fight in France would only be replaced with semi-skilled workers and women on a temporary basis, and their jobs would be given back to them upon their return
1914
what was the ngeative impact of the dilution agreement on women? and did it remove from them and show?
number of women employed by 1920 had returned to 1914 levels (approximately 5.7 million women)
economic gains S.T
remove economic independence
did not make substantial gains
Employment opportunities were limited for women by..
prejudice, discrimination, and prevailing ideas about what was ‘women’s work’
Many women continued to work in what kind of industries after the return of men
poorly paid light industries or ‘sweated trades’; over two-thirds of all work done by working-class women was completed in their home.
the return of men seemed to herald a return to …
tradional attirudes and values concerning gender
women went back
= no substantial gains
when did some women expericne flapper style?
1920’s
unprecedented social freedom
What was needed to particpate in flapper style?
who lacked it
a disposable income and time was required to engage with these new social freedoms which was something that working class women lacked
