Explain why women failed to gain the vote between 1900 and 1914?

 Women’s suffrage campaigners  argued their voices would not be heard without the vote .The government acknowledge this but felt Woman could not contribute physically or mentally in the countries time of need as they were to emotional. When the government was not willing to back down and give women the vote it made the fight for the vote also a fight for citizenship in a democratic country.

Opportunities for women opened in work and education, for an example job in department stores although the hours were long and pay was poor it was a symbolism of independence. I also think it gave women the will to learn and achieve. Women working for themselves for once. However better educated women got better job opportunities as they offered more skills.

Suffrages did not want all women to gain the vote, but not all women wanted suffrage and not all men wanted the women to fail in their mission to gain the vote. Even though women were seen as fragile, emotional and impulsive to handle the so- called “burden” of the vote. Leader of NUWSS Millicent Fawcent gained MP votes as suffragettes leader Emmeline Pankhurst tried to fight for all women rich or poor, uneducated or skilled however her belief in methods of violence, vandalism and abuse created a rift of rivalry between the suffragists and suffragettes and they had different objectives in who should get the vote, but the suffragettes did gain a lot of media attention compared to the suffragists. The strategy of the militant campaign backfired as it gave the government an excuse in why women did not deserve the vote, using their behavior as example and reason of being fragile, emotional and impulsive. They all wanted the vote to become equal as one but were not willing to unite as one to get it. This confused the public as they became unsure of which group to support. This lost appeal to both the suffragists and suffragettes compared to the government who looked like a better side to back as they seemed like a stronger wiser option and it was an easier option to make as there was only one government.  

In conclusion women did suffer setbacks that contributed to them not getting the vote in 1900-1914 but made steps forward at these times. This kept the momentum going for the vote but they could not change the domination men held and the typecast of them being inferior. Suffragists and suffragettes tried, if not together, separately, in their own ways to make a change and gain  the vote but with positive  media attention there was a militant campaign  which led to negative criticism and doubt  if  they should or could handle the vote. Politicians made  it hard for  women as they felt woman gaining the vote would  threaten their status, but women did make a difference if not in gaining the vote but in advantages and the steps forward that would later gain the vote which seemed inevitable.  I feel though their failure at this time was mainly due to whatever they achieved was not as focused on compared to what they did not achieve losing them the vote between 1900-1914.

By Btesam Mounssi