It seems that the men are unwilling to change their traditional way of order, they are scared of what the change might bring as this quote shows clearly when it says, “The effect of introducing a large female element into the imperial electorate would undoubtedly be to weaken the center of power in the eyes of these dependant millions.” The men in political power are anxious that if they give women equality (regardless of whether it is the morally right or wrong thing to do), this will also challenge other aspects of society. Giving women the right would undoubtedly provoke different races to also want the vote – not just white men. In the above quote it can be recognized that the state considers itself “the center of power”. This power is suddenly being challenged by women who have never before in the past, asked for a change in status. The many other states that depended upon Britain at the time would, in the men’s eyes, lose favor in them because they would think that the men who were controlling the country were weakened by the introduction of women.
Women in the past, however, had influenced politics greatly and this is not dismissed by the Against Suffrage extract, “women have at present a vast indirect influence through their men folk on the politics of this country.” This suggests that although women do not officially have any political status, they are still a great influence on their men who are running the country. This may possibly be referring to ideas that women propose to their men at home which they discuss, but it is more likely that it is referring to how men like to come home from a hard days work and relax, while the woman cooks, does the housework, takes care of the children. This, Anti-suffrage supporters would argue, is the ‘sphere’ of a woman. This, is how women support their country and support their husbands – by ensuring that everything in the home is alright, so that all the men have to concentrate on is their job in serving the countries needs. It seems, therefore a bit ironic that in the pro-suffrage extract, one of the reasons listed for why women should have the vote is : “BECAUSE women will be better comrades to their husbands, better mothers to their children, and better housekeepers of the home.” This quote seems to me to re-in force the idea that a woman’s job is to merely be a comrade to her husband, and a housekeeper and a mother. It does not give any reference to how women should be allowed to have the right to stand on their own two feet and have their own rights. Women would be better comrades to their husbands if they were enfranchised, because they would be able to communicate better with them and be able to have intellectual conversations about the politics of the time. However, the quote suggests that all the women want from having the vote is to be better at the position, which they have of “housekeeper” etc. To me, it seems that the women are fighting for equality in the vote – but are dismissing other vital aspects of equality and half-accepting the position that has traditionally been theirs but is definitely in need of a change,
Would you judge these extracts to be representative of the arguments put forward by the suffragists and their opponents?
I would say that the extracts on the surface show some of the major points put forward by the suffragists and their opponents. If you look carefully at the ideas and words of the extract, it is also possible to work out other connotations. For example, in the Anti-suffrage extract, “It is scarcely possible to imagine a woman being minister for war, and yet the principles of the suffragettes involve that and many similar absurdities.” I think that on the surface, this quote shows that men are dismissive of the idea of women being involved in parliament, for the reason that they women are physically less capable and therefore they cannot possibly understand talk of war defenses and so on. However, the quote could have other possible interpretations, which are subtler. The writer has written, “It is scarcely possible to imagine” This assumes the position of the reader. How hard it is to imagine a woman being minister of war, immediately gives a reaction in the reader that they should agree with that opinion. However, it is possible to imagine a woman as a minister of war – it just has never been done before!
In this then, I think that the men are not so much opposed to a woman being minister of war for the reason of her physical incapability, but they are scared of other changes and also scared of losing their power. This is shown in other quotes such as in that they thought it would undoubtedly weaken their countries power and status in the eyes of the other dependent countries. Men previously, have dominated the physical side in every aspect of society. In sport, in war, in public service and in important employment, women do not have a place. Suddenly these conventions are being challenged and the men are scared that they will lose their power and ability to be ‘superior’ and the more important class. The writer finishes his quote on this subject “and many similar absurdities.” This tries to imprint into the readers mind how it is completely ridiculous to even contemplate any ideas of equality that the women’s suffrage campaign may put forward. It encourages traditional, conventional ideas that have always had their way in the past, suggesting that women are wasting their time because what has been, will always be.
