- SUFFRAGETTES
- The Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU)
- Founded by Emmeline Pankhurst and her daughters, Christabel and Sylvia, in 1903.
- Frustrated by the slow pace of change of the NUWSS – used violent and illegal protest methods to draw attention to the cause and put pressure on the government.
- Membership of the WSPU was decreasing by 1913 as people turned to the peaceful NUWSS.
- By 1914, public opinion was firmly against the WSPU and its cause, making it easy for the government to ignore its demands.
- The peaceful work of women during the First World War played the crucial role in gaining the right to vote, rather than earlier violent actions.
- SUFFRAGISTS
- Unified in 1897 by Millicent Fawcett under the title the National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies (NUWSS).
- internally democratic group with members electing their president and decisions being made through elected committees.
- The methods of the NUWSS were peaceful, looking to apply pressure to politicians and the public through persuasion.
- By 1914, the NUWSS had more than 100,000 members in 400 branches spread across the whole country.
- LEGISLATION
- the Great Reform Act in 1832:
- The Act extended the right to vote to an additional 300,000 people as the value of property, rather than of land, became the key factor for awarding the franchise.
- Still only 5.6% of the population could vote.
- The Representation of the People Act 1918:
- Extended the franchise to all women over the age of 30, as well as all men over the age of 21, giving full universal suffrage to adult men.
- The Representation of the People Act 1928:
- Extended the franchise to all citizens over the age of 21, regardless of gender.
- WHY? – The NUWSS become the new National Union of Societies for Equal Citizenship (N USEC) and made peaceful campaigns that led to the act being passed.
- The Representation of the People Act 1969:
- Allowed anyone over the age of 18 to vote regardless of race, gender or wealth.
- Following the Marriage Act 1949 which lowered the age at which a person could marry without parental consent to 18.