Unit 6: How effective was the WSPU as a political organisation? Flashcards
Describe why the late 19th century was a dissapointing time for women’s rights activists.
It was feared that women missed their chance to secure the vote when the 1884 Reform Act gave the vote to working class men, an amendment to the act to enfranchise propertied women was rejected by Gladstone and 104 Liberal MPs.
The National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies (NUWSS) had tame tactics with little success.
Describe why the early 20th century may have been a disappointing time for women’s rights activists.
Despite how Britain’s increasingly radical and violent forms of political protests created a growing consensus that female suffrage would eventually be achieved.
The ILP (had electoral significance in 1906 general election) experienced divisions over the Irish Home Rule movement wiht many members cooperating with the Conservatives in opposing Irish self-governance.
Yet the more militant Women’s Social Political Union (WSPU) reinvigorated the cause of women’s suffrage in 1903-8.
Women eventually given the vote despite the undermining personal objections to women’s franchise and complext parliamentary procedure.
What was the National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies (NUWSS)?
Lobbied parliament through petitions, meetings with politicians and public conferences to argue the case for women’s suffrage.
Successful as it attracted a large membership, demonstrations had wide support for women enfranchisement, it was respected due to its moderate tactics.
Failed as after decades of activity the main goal was not achieved, slow progress, undermined by the popularity of WSPU as more militant tactics became necessary.
What was the Women’s Social Political Union (WSPU)?
Established by Emmeline Pankhurst and advocated for more militant and confrontational tactics for the suffrage movement.
Members (initially working class women) supported ILP in hopes that the elected Labour MP would promote female suffrage, but still no change by 1906.
Pankhurst realised that a pro-women parliament alone would not enfranchise women and called for more forcible action for electorate reform, her motto as ‘Deeds not words’.
Describe early tactics of the WSPU from 1905-8.
In 1905, Christabel Pankhurst chose to adopt moderate militant tactics of demonstrations and heckling eg disruption of Sir Edward Grey’s public meeting.
Move to militancy was inspired by Charles Parnell leadership of the Irish Home Rule movement which was to enrage the government: this would encourage public support for women’s suffrage and force the state to conform.
Tactics included disrupting meetings, heckling politicians, suffragettes chaining themselves to railings in Downing Street.
The arrest of respectable ladies (when women broke into the House of Lords Lobby making speeches) caused public outrage and was used as a tool to create sympathy amongst middle/upper class audiences eg Cobden Sanderson, daughter of reform politician Richard Cobden won support for the WSPU following her arrest.
Made women protesters appear unjustly punished- propaganda weapon showing the government to be brutal and reactionary.
Describe the increased militancy affter 1908.
Female suffrage was not an urgent issue for Liberal government as they were concerned with the radical social welfare reforms, resistance from the Conservative-controlled House of Lords and the Irish Home Rule.
Asquith refused to consider female suffrage unless it was shown as a high demand in the country- in response, a meeting of around 250,000 women in Hyde Park demanding the vote was organised but Asquith remained unmoved, becoming a popular target for violence.
Christabel Pankhurst directed a mass campaign of window-breaking to influence the government.
Jailed protesters began hunger strikes which led to government introduction of force-feeding; Temporary Discharge for Ill Health Act 1913 ordered that women on hunger strike be released and surveillanced until healthy enough to be rearrested- politically damaging, demoralising the WSPU members and overall not an effective government solution.
When the government refused to debate legislation for women’s suffrage in November 1910, 300 WSPU women went to the House of Commons and the police responded by assaulting them to teach women a lesson. This led to WSPU avoiding street protests, favouring property destruction eg targeted artwork (13 [paintings in Manchester Art gallery were hacked apart, and also arson).
Post-1908 violence alienated many non-violent campaigners eg Millicent Fawcett claimed the WSPU’s use of violence undermined the idea that women were morally superior to men.
The Women’s National Anti-Suffrage League for Women (1908) and Men’s League for Opposing Women’s Suffrage (1909) united in 1910 to form the National League for opposing women’s suffrage composing of 97 branches nationwide.
