There are many factors that can be taken in to consideration explaining why women in Britain gained greater political equality by 1928. These important factors can be seen as: male attitudes. These attitudes that were conflicted on females were irrational and inferior. This then led many women to rise up and join campaign groups such as the suffragists and suffragettes. However, the campaigns put a lot of pressure on the government until WW1 when women contributed to the war effort and later were rewarded the vote.
It can be argued that traditional male attitudes was a big factor why women hadn’t gained the vote before 1914.Women were often seen as irrational and not suited to politics by men. It was argued by politicians that women would simply vote for the best looking man. However, not all males were against the idea for change. For example in 1867, john stuart mill tried to get votes for some women included in the 1867 reform actHis suggestion was defeated although 73 male MPs in parliament did support him. This therefore shows that social attitudes were very slow to change and many men still saw women as inferior. However, a large percentage of women also didn’t support votes for women for example Queen Victoria describes the women’s suffrage campaign as, “that mad wicked folly of women’s rights”. When women’s suffrage groups gave petitions to parliament in support for votes for women, it was easy for politicians to ignore them because of the low numbers of signatures
However, it can be argued that the importance of the different campaign groups slowed down women receiving the vote. Although, the suffragists believed in peaceful tactics to win the vote it is argued by historians for example martin pugh that the government did take notice of them. Membership remained high 53,000 members in 1914 but when the suffragettes became more violent membership of the NUWSS fell because of so little attention. The suffragettes kept the issue of women’s suffrage in the headlines by using violent methods such firebombs and attacking politicians, hunger strikes and the introduction of the Cat and Mouse Act made headlines. However, while it can be argued that the publicity was useful, all it might have done is make the government determined not to give in to terrorism. This can be supported by historian Martin Pugh, “Suffragettes destroyed sympathy for the issue of votes for women among MPs who had previously supported it”. This therefore illustrates that the tactics used by the suffragettes damaged their chance for the vote
It can also be argued that the government had more important pressures to worry about than women’s suffrage. When the Liberals came to power women were campaigning loudly for the vote. However there were other pressures on the government at the time and the issue of the women’s suffrage was not a top priority. This was mainly down to Ireland. Ireland was apart of the UK but groups in Ireland wanted to break away from the UK. Tensions increased and there was a possibility that civil war could break out in Ireland. At the general election the Liberal majority was slashed and needed help from the Irish nationalists MPs in parliament. These Irish MPs told Asquith to drop the ideas of votes for women, Asquith already was against rights for women, so he agreed. It is argued because of this the Suffragettes felt betrayed by the government which led them to become more violent after 1910.
However, women had their chance to show they deserved the vote by their contribution to the war. They did this by putting their campaign temporally on hold and focused on the country. Women who worked hard and risked their lives in munitions factories seemed to be well respected while helping Britian on her feet while the men were out fighting. Women took over the role of many men’s jobs for example administration, police, working in factories, agriculture etc. Which has been argued that because of women doing their bit for the war effort it gained respect and balanced the negative publicity of the suffragette campaign.This view can be supported by historian John Ray that women deserved the vote, “women proved by their work that they deserved the vote equally with men. Thus their war efforts succeeded were the suffragette campaign had failed”.
Although women finally got the vote in the 1918 representation Act, women under 30 still didn’t. It was still considered a major step giving the vote to another 13 million men and 8 million women. It proved that Britain was on its way forward being a fully democratic country like New Zealand at the time. However it is argued that there wasn’t a true democracy as it took another 10 years until women were truly equal as men. This was delayed due to political opposition but in 1928 women and men were given equal rights to vote.
In conclusion, the cause was unlucky because they were either disrespected or seen as irrational. However there can be no doubt that women were bound to get the vote eventually due to the democratic changes taking place in the country and their efforts to the first world war were the main catalyst why they achieved their ultimate aim.
