interwar period

women during the intwerwar period

• open campaigned forthe right to vote as it was asewen as a dundamental reifhr and an essential stepping stonme to further progress in the quality of women lives

• if women cannot votwe rjhwy so mnor exiart as rhwy so not habve a say in antrhing

• theright to vote is vital for future progroess

POLITICIAL CHANGES - IMPROVEMENTS

• representation of people act 1918 - women over the age of 30 could vote if married to member of gov

• representation of people act 1928 - all inxreased the political status of all women

• 1928 equal franchise act - women over the age of 21 could vote

• women made up of 52.7% of total votes

• 1926 NUSEC put pressure on MP for a fair franchise , 1926 , 3500 women gathered for equal eihts

• parliament act 1918 - gave women the right to stand as memebers of parliament

conclusion

social and welfare reofrm 1922 - criminal laq age of conset to 16

POLITICAL CHANGES - limitatation 

• The 1918 Act did not cater to all women 

• women still enfranchised, compromised 43% of the eelectorate8.4 million voters

• hostile MP believed that women under theagee of 30 ‘flapper voters’ were too emotional and irresponsible

• does not represent political equality

• Women made little progress in politics

• daced prejudice in politics , only 5% of mp were women

• led to lack of representation

• women wpould work for men not with them

• unsuccessful in winning elections

• did not want to risk having a female leader

economic roles and changes - improvement

• considered aas a reserved army of lavour 

• change in the nature of work - gave them a degree of independence 

• worked at auxilleries on the western front ( drivers , signallers , nurses)

• 20000 employed in metal and chemical , by 1917 - rose to 1,000,000

• opened work for civil services and clerical wor post 1918 

• 1943 - 125 million in service work 

• 1942 first women appointed as barrister

• 1943 - wome nmade up of 1/3 of civil service workforce 

economic roles and changes - limitations

• roles often temporary - women lost jobs when men reutrned

• lower pay compared to men

• still expected to marry , have children - dependent on men

• social arttitudes confined women to domestic roles

• TU often opposed womens permanenet work

• MC women saw some progress , working class women remain in low paid servie jobs

• marriahe bar persistend in mant proffession