Britain and Parliamentary Reform: Women's Social and Political Union (REDUX)

Outline the Progression of Women’s Political Rights

Female ratepayers could vote in municipal elections and school boards, but could not yet vote in General Elections

* In 1867, JS Mill proposed an amendment to the Second Reform Act to change 'men' to 'persons' that would have enfranchised females
* Reform was blocked, but Mill’s proposal shows changing attitudes
* In 1884, the Primrose League was established for both Tory men (knights) and women (dames) to meet
* In 1887, the Women’s Liberal Federation was created for Liberal women
* Women could enter professions such as medicine, but could not participate in banking or law
* Because of social attitudes, females would find difficulties in finding work over males

Outline Female Suffrage in the 19th Century

In 1897, the National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies united suffrage societies under Millicent Fawcett

* The organization was non-militant and democratic
* Fawcett described the NUWSS as 'like a glacier; slow-moving but unstoppable'
* Demands for female suffrage was inconsistent and opposed by Parliament and anti-suffrage societies
* Female suffrage was warranted since women could own and be taxed for property
* Female suffrage had already been achieved in the colonies, including New Zealand
* Victorian attitudes towards gender allocated females to domestic responsibilities
* Arguments included that women could influence their husband’s vote and vote in local elections already

Define the Women’s Social and Political Union

Created in 1903 by Emmeline Pankhurst in Manchester as a female-exclusive organization

* The Pankhurst Family were disillusioned by the Liberal Party after a building was named in honor of Richard Pankhurst that was male-exclusive
* The organization of the WSPU was an authoritarian top-down structure, where leadership was often given to middle-class women and friends of the Pankhursts
* Pankhurst 'wishes women to have votes \[but\] she will not allow them to have opinions'
* Pankhurst consolidated responsibility to herself alone: "I have advised, I have incited, I have conspired"
* As government response became hostile, the WSPU required quicker decision-making and a trustworthy leadership
* Local branches enjoyed autonomy and were often the ones to incite militant activity

Outline the Pankhurst Daughters

Christabel and Sylvia Pankhurst were the daughters who Emmeline placed in leadership positions within the WSPU

* Christabel was the eldest daughter and became chief organiser of the WSPU
* Christabel was arrested three times in 1905, 1907, and 1909, but was forced to flee to France in 1912 to be replaced with Annie Kenney
* Christabel received a law degree in 1906 which she could not practice
* Sylvia was the second daughter and organized working-class members
* Sylvia was imprisoned several times and would go through hunger strikes
* Sylvia was socialist, and in 1914 separated from the WSPU and founded the East London Federation of Suffragettes

Outline Peaceful Protest from the Union

Before 1905, the Union adopted peaceful protest similar to other organizations at the time

* Pankhurst realized non-militancy would not work and preferred militancy in 1905: "Deeds, not Words"
* In 1905, MPs debated about whether road carts should be fitted with rear lights to delay time for a female suffrage bill
* Pankhurst was willing to end militancy when there was an opportunity for peaceful protest
* In 1910, militancy ended when Asquith proposed the Conciliation bills in Parliament
* In 1911, the Union organized a coronation procession for George V, where members would wear their prison uniforms and sing "March of the Woman"
* The Union published the journal *Votes for Women* in 1907 which reached 40,000 circulated copies in 1910

Outline the Timeline of Militancy

In October 1905, Christabel Pankhurst and Annie Kenney were arrested for interrupting Liberal politician speeches

* In 1906, prominent politicians were heckled, such as Winston Churchill in the 1906 Manchester By-Election
* *Daily Mail* first coined the term 'suffragette' to insult the movement, but was adopted by the suffragettes
* In July 1909, Marion Wallace Dunlop was the first suffragette to undergo a hunger strike
* In 18 November 1910, "Black Friday" occurs when 300 suffragettes marched to the House of Commons
* Churchill organized the police, who violently forced the suffragettes back
* In 1913, Emily Davidson becomes a martyr after trying to drape the King’s horse with a suffragette banner
* In 1914, Mary Richardson slashes the painting of Venus in protest against the arrest of Pankhurst
* Richardson called Pankhurst the 'most beautiful character in modern history'

Outline Reactions to Militancy

Lloyd George, who was pivotal in the passing of the 1918 Representation of the People Act claimed the 'main obstacle to women getting the vote was militancy'

* Elizabeth Wolstenholme pleaded for Parliament to 'ignore the folly and criminality of a few persons'
* In 1908, the Women’s National Anti-Suffrage League was created and led by Mrs Humphrey Ward
* In 1909, Lord Curzon founded the Men’s League for Opposing Women’s Suffrage, which would have 97 nationwide branches

Define the Conciliation Bills

In 1910-12, Parliament proposed “Conciliation Bills” to extend suffrage to wealthy women

* The 1910 Bill passed 320-175 but failed after Asquith called a General Election
* The Union saw the Election as a betrayal and responded with “Black Friday” where 300 suffragettes marched to Commons
* Churchill called police from Whitechapel and the East End, who violently repressed the suffragettes
* The 1911 Bill passed 255-88, but further action was later dropped, which caused a ‘great relief’ to Asquith
* The 1912 Bill was defeated 208-222 because of the Irish Parliamentary Party

Define the Cat & Mouse Act

The 1913 Cat and Mouse Act allowed authorities to release suffragettes during hunger strike to recapture them once their health recovered

* Following Dunlop’s hunger strike, authorities used force feeding to quell strikes
* Prisoners were fed liquid foods, even if the prisoner struggled
* Force feeding was referred to as 'oral rape' and was criticized by mass media and the population
* Hunger strikes were introduced to protest against the suffragettes not receiving the same status as political prisoners

Define Political Reasons for the Failure of the WSPU

Parliament opposed female suffrage and many did not understand why women wanted the vote

* H.H. Asquith became Prime Minister in 1908 and opposed female enfranchisement
* Asquith believed that no woman was more qualified to vote than a rabbit
* Asquith believed that too much change in a short time would result in political instability
* Despite the Suffragettes, the government was more alarmed at the call for Irish independence
* Parliament was worried, if they gave women the vote due to militancy, the Irish Citizen’s Army and Irish Volunteers would increase militancy
* The Irish Parliamentary Party voted against the Third Conciliation Bill since they believed that female suffrage diverted attention away from Irish independence
* Following a Private Member’s Bill in 1909, the Conservatives and Liberals saw a deadlock
* Conservatives wanted to extend the vote based on property qualifications
* Liberals wanted to enfranchise all women

Outline Female Enfranchisement and the End of the WSPU

The Women’s Social and Political Union ended in 1914 with the advent of WWI

* The Union lost popularity during WWI and was subsequently abolished in 1917
* Parliament passed the 1918 Representation of the People Act, which enfranchised some females
* The government feared a potential revolution from demobilized soldiers and a return to suffragette militancy