Suffrage Movement Research Paper

History was forever changed when a restricted number of British women were granted the Representation of the People Act in 1918. The fight for suffrage as well as social, political and economic justice lasted for decades. Key causes for obtaining the constrained suffrage included the role of women in Victorian society, the suffrage movement as well as the efforts of British women during World War 1. The Representation of the People Act was not felt without political, social and economic consequences, consequences can still be felt in our modern society.

Women led a very restricted life during the Victorian era as their role in society was almost exclusively to be the caregiver and the proper wife. Because of this, women of the time had scarce
The aim of the suffrage movement was to achieve suffrage and obtain the vote, which would later equate to more opportunities for equality between men and women. Both the NUWSS and the WSPU were campaigning for the vote for the middle class, property owning women, but they had very different strategies for succeeding. The NUWSS were the Suffragists and used more peaceful tactics. The They officially formed in 1897. Their previous leader, Lydia Becker, had roughly formed a group of women but after her death in 1890, Millicent Fawcett took over as president. Fawcett brought these women together to form a more organised association. From there they used tactics including protests, petitions, demonstrations, public speeches and marches. In addition to this more these passive tactics they had support and help from the National body. The WSPU or the Suffragettes used more forceful and “unladylike ” tactics. They officially formed on October 10, 1903, by the Pankhurst family, at their home in Manchester. Initially, there were only 6 members including the Pankhurst daughters, who as the organisation grew, became the leaders. Their tactics were to prove that women were not as they men may expect, therefore used more militant and violent actions including but not restricted to arson, rock throwing, hunger strikes, purposeful incarceration, rallies, attacks on policemen, and chaining themselves to public property. Unlike the NUWSS they had no support for outside organisations and ran independently. Both groups methods and strategies had its advantages and its disadvantages. The tactics of the NUWSS had support from the government and they were not causing any harm. Their advantages were that they had others on their side, yet their disadvantages were they were