There were many reasons why women had failed to gain the vote between 1900 and 1914. In the years before 1900, fifteen bills for women's suffrage had been put to parliament.

Jason Defreitas History Coursework _ 17/01/02

There were many reasons why women had failed to gain the vote between 1900 and 1914. In the years before 1900, fifteen bills for women’s suffrage had been put to parliament. Every time the bill failed. The bills were being put forward by a group of women known as the suffragists.

The lack of success annoyed many suffragists and by 1903, Ms Emmeline Pankhurst created another organisation of women known as the suffragettes. Ms Pankhurst believed the new organisation must become more radical and militant if they were to succeed in gaining the vote. To begin the suffragettes disrupted political meetings and pestered ministers. But when more suffrage bills were thrown out of parliament, the suffragettes become louder and more annoying. Many of the public and members of parliament regarded the suffragettes’ actions as ‘ un-lady like’. Suffragettes chained themselves to buildings and smashed windows at number 10 Downing Street. That was one reason for no votes for women. People believed the suffragettes were too harsh and a big contrast from the suffragettes. Although some people admired the Suffragettes courage and bravery for willing to go to jail for their actions. Most did not see it this way.

Another point that stopped women’s suffrage bills going threw was that at the time the Irish Nationalists were a problem for the government. This gave the government a reason not to give votes to women. They were said the problem with the Irish Nationalists was more important and brushed aside the women’s suffrage bills. As a result of losing the bills, the suffragettes became even more militant and so lost even more support. MP’s who supported the suffragettes became turned off. MP’s felt they should not give the vote because of their radical ways.

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Emmeline Pankhurst’s daughter, Christabel Pankhurst tried to join the suffragettes and the suffragists together as one big party again. Mrs Fawcett(leader of the Suffragists) did not want the suffragists to be associated with the Suffragettes and their militancy and refused to join. Not joining together was a major set back in the campaign and was a major reason for not receiving the vote by 1914.

All MP’s were worried about giving women the vote; they were worried on which party the women would vote for. The Liberals were the most worried as the majority of the population able to vote (over21) would be women. Men were 47.3% of the population women being the other 52.7%. Women’s second-class status had made the majority of the population not a worry but now that two women voter campaigns were running it became a worry.

Not all women wanted the vote and this did not help the Suffragette and Suffragists cause. Even the Queen did not agree with women’s vote. She said, “With the vote, women would become

Heartless and disgusting of human beings”

With the Queen and many other women against women’s suffrage it held back the vote. Other important figures were against women’s suffrage, Lloyd George said “Haven’t the Suffragettes the

Sense to see that the very

Worst king of campaigning for

The vote is to try to intimidate

Or black mail a man into giving

Into them what he would otherwise

Gladly give?”

This shows Lloyd George very much against the suffragette ways of campaigning. A well-respected MP such as Lloyd George convinced other MP’s and the public with speeches like this into being against women’s suffrage.

These factors were the main reasons for the women not receiving the vote between 1900 and 1914. The reasons caused other reasons and all the reasons that stopped women’s suffrage before the war. The biggest reason though was peoples view on equality of the sexes. The public and MP’s and even the other women felt that men were higher than women. This thought in people mind was the biggest reason. A quote about equality from and MP shows a typical view.

He says, “If women did gain the vote, it would

mean that most voters would

be women … what is the good of talking

about equality of the sexes? The first whiz of the bullet,

the first boom of the cannon where is the

equality of the sexes then?”

This shows his view very clearly. That is why women did not receive the vote between 1900 and 1914.

Jason

Defreitas