The Suffragette Movement: Militant Action

The Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU), founded by Emmeline Pankhurst and her daughters Sylvia and Christabel in 1903, took a more militant approach to the fight for women's suffrage. The suffragettes vs suffragists differences and actions became increasingly apparent as the WSPU adopted more aggressive tactics.

Vocabulary: Suffragettes were members of women's organizations that advocated for the right to vote through more militant methods, including civil disobedience and direct action.

The WSPU's militant tactics included:

1. Shouting over MPs during speeches
2. Holding demonstrations outside of parliament
3. Initiating a stone-throwing campaign in 1912
4. Engaging in arson attacks and blowing up buildings

These actions were designed to draw attention to the cause and put pressure on the government to act. The suffragettes believed that peaceful methods were not producing results quickly enough and that more direct action was necessary to effect change.

Highlight: The suffragettes' militant tactics led to over 200 arrests following a window-smashing campaign, which garnered significant publicity for their cause.

The liberal Prime Minister, Henry Campbell-Bannerman, initially supported the WSPU's efforts. However, as their actions became more extreme, public opinion and political support began to waver.

Example: Emily Wilding Davison, a prominent suffragette, famously stepped in front of King George V's horse at the Epsom Derby in 1913, sustaining fatal injuries in what many believe was an attempt to draw attention to the suffragette cause.

The suffragettes' militant approach was controversial, even within the women's suffrage movement. In 1907, some members who disagreed with these tactics broke away to form the Women's Freedom League, which campaigned not only for the vote but also for equal pay for women.

The Evolution of the Women's Suffrage Movement

As the women's suffrage movement progressed, the landscape of organizations and tactics continued to evolve. By 1907, the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU) had gained many members who embraced the militant methods promoted by the Pankhursts. However, this shift towards more aggressive tactics also led to internal divisions within the movement.

Highlight: The diversity of approaches within the women's suffrage movement led to the formation of multiple organizations, each with its own strategy for achieving voting rights for women.

Some members of the WSPU, disagreeing with the increasingly militant methods, broke away to form the Women's Freedom League (WFL). This new organization sought a middle ground between the peaceful tactics of the National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies (NUWSS) and the militant approach of the WSPU.

The Women's Freedom League:

• Campaigned for women's suffrage
• Also advocated for equal pay for women
• Employed tactics that were more direct than the NUWSS but less militant than the WSPU

This development resulted in three main groups campaigning for women's suffrage, each with its own distinct approach:

1. The NUWSS (Suffragists): Focused on peaceful persuasion and political lobbying
2. The WSPU (Suffragettes): Employed militant tactics and direct action
3. The WFL: Sought a balance between peaceful and more assertive methods

Example: While the NUWSS organized peaceful marches and petitions, and the WSPU engaged in property damage and hunger strikes, the WFL might have organized boycotts or non-violent civil disobedience.

The existence of these different groups, all working towards the same ultimate goal but through varied means, demonstrates the complexity and diversity of the women's suffrage movement in the early 20th century. This multifaceted approach ensured that the issue of women's voting rights remained a prominent topic in British politics and society, ultimately contributing to the movement's success.

Quote: "There is only one way of escape, and that is to act, not to talk." - Christabel Pankhurst, highlighting the WSPU's commitment to direct action.

The evolution of the women's suffrage movement, with its diverse tactics and organizations, reflects the determination and adaptability of the women involved. It also underscores the challenges they faced in navigating political and social resistance to their cause, as they sought to find the most effective means of achieving their goal of equal voting rights.

Women's Role in Society and the Fight for Suffrage

The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw significant changes in women's role in society during industrial unrest. Many working-class women were employed in factories, while middle-class women were expected to remain in the domestic sphere. This period also marked the beginning of organized efforts to secure voting rights for women, with various groups employing different strategies to achieve their goals.

Highlight: The 1870 Married Women's Property Act was a crucial milestone in women's rights, allowing women to control their own income for the first time.

The impact of the Married Women's Property Act 1870 was substantial, as it allowed women to control their own income for the first time. However, despite this progress, women still faced numerous challenges:

• They were not allowed to vote or be members of parliament
• Professional women were expected to leave their jobs upon marriage
• Women were paid less than men for the same work

These ongoing inequalities fueled the growing movement for women's suffrage.

Definition: Suffrage refers to the right to vote in political elections.

In 1897, Millicent Fawcett formed the National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies (NUWSS), also known as the suffragists. This group, primarily composed of middle-class women, focused on peaceful demonstrations and rational persuasion to achieve their goals.

Example: The NUWSS organized peaceful demonstrations and created pamphlets and petitions to persuade the government that women deserved the right to vote.

In 1903, a more militant movement emerged under the leadership of Emmeline Pankhurst. She, along with her daughters Sylvia and Christabel, formed the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU), known as the suffragettes. The WSPU adopted the motto "deeds not words" and was willing to take more direct action to achieve their goals.

Quote: "Deeds not words" - The motto of the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU)