đ”| Women's Suffrage Essay Flashcards
Factors
5
- Changing Attitudes
- Impact of WW1
- Suffragists
- Suffragettes
- Examples of Other Countries
Introduction
Background Only - FIQ Exp, LOA and other factors needed
- The early 1900s was a time when women were seen as the angels of the home who should not vote. Their only ambitions were to make a good marriage and care for their families, and the belief of the time was that no âladyâ should be educated or have a career.
- Randal Crenmer MP believed women were too emotional to reason in politics as men did, and even Queen Victoria saw womenâs voting rights as âwicked folyâ.
Changing Attitudes:
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- Firstly, the Education Act of 1880 decreed that all children between the ages of 5-10 had to attend school â for the first time, all girls had the right to primary schooling.
- Secondly, the 1902 Education Act helped to create an explosion in the number of girlsâ grammar schools. There were 99 girlsâ secondary schools in England in 1904, but by 1914 this number had risen to 349.
Changing Attitudes:
Analysis
- Therefore, it can be said that changes in society led to women being given the vote in 1918 because better educated women were less likely to accept being treated as second class citizens.
- Historian Bob Whitfield said, âthere was a new and growing group of women who felt increasingly frustrated by the obstacles in their wayâ, which shows that educated women were ready to fight for the cause of voting and prove themselves as capable.
Changing Attitudes:
Analysis+
- It can also be said that changes in society were less likely to have influenced women being given the vote in 1918 because access to proper higher education, which would hold more value and put women on the same terms as men education wise, was still restricted beyond 1918 for women.
- For example, Oxford University didnât award degrees to women until 1920 which was after women were originally granted the vote, therefore proving that despite changes women were still not deemed to be the same level as men which would suggest this was less of a reason in granting the vote as whilst attitudes had changed and improved, there was still a vast amount of scope for going even further for equality and therefore the vote.
Changing Attitudes:
Evaluation
- Overall, changing attitudes towards women in society was the most important reason behind women gaining the vote in 1918 because womenâs capabilities within education disproved the misconception that women were incapable of understanding complex political issues and casting an informed vote.
- This can be linked to womenâs political rights under the 1894 Local Government Act which allowed some women to vote in local elections, which shows how there was evidence to suggest that women should and could vote.
Impact of WW1:
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- Firstly, by the end of the war around 60% of munitions workers were female. Women in this industry faced dangerous conditions and suffered with health complications, like toxic jaundice.
- Secondly, the Womenâs Land Army helped to ensure that farms could cope and were vital in feeding Britain during a time where rationing and self-sufficiency beliefs were prominent. By the end of the war in 1918, 300,000 women were working on land.
Impact of WW1:
Analysis
- It can be said that womenâs work during WW1 led to women being given the vote in 1918 because their work was important to Britain and greatly appreciated, so there is a general view that their vote was granted as a thanks from a grateful nation.
- For example, billboards in 1918 displayed the slogan âthe nation thanks the womenâ, proving this grateful attitude.
Impact of WW1:
Analysis+
However, it can be said that womenâs war work did not lead to them being given the vote because in 1918 only women over the age of 30 who met property qualifications were given the vote, but majority of women, particularly munitions workers, were under the age of 30 and working class. Therefore, this contradicts female workers of the war being given the vote as a thank you.
Impact of WW1:
Evaluation
- Overall, womenâs war work in WW1 was a very important reason behind women gaining the vote in 1918 because women were generally praised for their work, which was important during a time where the violent perceptions of the Suffragettes movement threatened the potential of women being granted the vote.
- Historian Kathryn Hughes suggests that the vote was not the result of violent tactics, âbut of the contribution made by ordinary women to the home front during the warâ, which demonstrates how womenâs work in WW1 was important in giving the movement a better foundation.
Impact of WW1:
Evaluation+
However, changing attitudes towards women is a more important reason because attitudes were shifting to ideas of women being capable and responsible enough to vote which would make it more likely that this right was introduced, but it can be argued that giving the vote as a thanks to women was an excuse from politicians because they didnât want to be seen as rewarding the violent behaviour of the WSPU.
Suffragists:
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- Firstly, suffragists held meetings in their local branches. By 1914 there were over 400 branches from London to Shetland.
- Secondly, suffragists lobbied MPs to try and convince them to introduce bills in parliament and formed an alliance with the Labour party in exchange for mutual support.
Suffragists:
Analysis+
- It can be said that the Suffragists led to women being given the vote in 1918 because their peaceful, legal approach earned the respect of MPs.
- For example, parliamentary bills to give women the vote were regularly introduced by sympathetic MPs before 1914, like the Conciliation bills of 1910, 1911 and 1912.
Suffragists:
Analysis
However, it can also be said that the Suffragists were less likely to have influenced women being given the vote in 1918 as their campaign was slow and easily ignored by unsympathetic MPs. They failed to gain the support of Prime Minister Herbert Asquith, so not having this from the most powerful MP meant that their movement would fail to make a strong enough impact.
Suffragists:
Evaluation
Overall, the work of the suffragists was quite an important reason behind women gaining the vote in 1918 because their affiliation with the Labour party can be said to have put pressure on the Liberal government to address the issue of female suffrage, as during this time these parties were in direct competition for the British working-class vote, so perhaps they were more likely to introduce this to remain in power.
Suffragists:
Evaluation+
However, changing attitudes towards women is a more important reason because women had more opportunity to demonstrate their capabilities to vote which they did successfully via education and the little political influence they had, but the suffragists movement focused more on drawing attention to the movement which they didnât do very well as their methods were easily ignored.
Suffragettes:
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- Firstly, the Suffragettes partook in civil disobedience, such as refusing to pay taxes or take part in the 1911 census.
- Secondly, upon being imprisoned for typically violent campaigning many Suffragettes went on hunger strikes. To prevent starvation, they would be force fed, and the brutality of this led to bad publicity for the Government. This ultimately led to the Cat and Mouse Act in 1913 â releasing Suffragettes who had been on hunger strike and re-arresting them when they were healthy again.
Suffragettes:
Analysis
- It can be said that the Suffragettes led to women being given the vote in 1918 because they were successful in gaining publicity and keeping the issue of votes for women in the news.
- Historian Leah Leneman argued âit was the Suffragettes who brought colour and drama to the movement⊠they kept the suffrage campaign in the newsâ, which shows that the Suffragettes were important in drawing attention to the cause consistently.
Suffragettes:
Analysis+
- However, it can be said that the Suffragettes were less likely to have influenced women getting the vote in 1918 because their militant approach gave them bad publicity and reinforced the image of women being too irrational to understand politics.
- Jill Liddington argued the Suffragettes âonly attracted public interest, never mass supportâ, which shows how their recognition at the time failed to go beyond being looked down upon in the media.
Suffragettes:
Evaluation
- Overall, the work of the suffragettes was quite an important reason behind women gaining the vote in 1918 because their extreme methods demonstrated how important the right to vote was for them, and although there was criticism suffragettes were also recognised for their bravery.
- Suffragette Emily Davison was killed in 1913 after attempting to put a votes for women banner on a horse during a race which resulted wide media attention, demonstrating the lengths these women would go to and how this was perceived by the people.
Suffragettes:
Evaluation+
However, changing attitudes towards women is a more important reason because the militancy behind the suffragette movement ultimately shifted focus from the issue of womenâs suffrage and onto womenâs volatile behaviour, but changing attitudes meant that there was a firm focus on women being independent and capable enough to have the right to vote.
Examples of Other Countries:
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- Firstly, many countries had granted women the vote prior to Britain. This includes countries within the British Empire like New Zealand in 1893 and Australia in 1902.
- Secondly, Lady Anna Stout, a leading Suffragist from New Zealand, helped British suffragist groups by writing letters to anti-suffrage groups explaining how granting the vote to women in New Zealand was a success.
Examples of Other Countries:
Analysis
- It can be said that examples of other countries led to women being given the vote in 1918 because as the most developed nation in the world it was embarrassing for Britain to appear as being behind other countries.
- Paula Bartley argued âit would have been a particular embarrassment if the mother of democracy, Britain, lagged behind other countriesâ, which shows that Britain may have been under pressure to grant women the vote so that they werenât behind other countries in any aspect.
Examples of Other Countries:
Analysis+
However, it can also be said that examples of other countries did not lead to women being given the vote because there is no evidence to suggest this was even discussed by MPs in Parliament. It was likely that between 1914 and 1918 British politicians were far more concerned with the war effort than suffrage in other countries.
Examples of Other Countries:
Evaluation
- Overall, examples of other countries were the least important reason behind the passing of the liberal reforms because such examples did not reassure Britain enough that giving women the vote would be successful, especially under circumstances of the time.
- Historians have argued that from 1916 Britain was worried about the campaign for Irish independence, and subsequently werenât likely to give into foreign examples because politicians feared that this would be seen as rewarding suffragette violence which could inspire Irish nationalists to copy such methods.
Examples of Other Countries:
Evaluation+
Changing attitudes towards women is a more important reason because politicians could now see that British women were educated and able to vote due to their experience in smaller political affairs, but examples of other countries didnât show how giving the vote to women would be a good thing for Britain even if it was successful in other places.
