Do you agree with the view that between the years 1884 and 1914, the Liberal Party had no real interest in women’s suffrage? Essay Example
In the early years, the campaign to enfranchise women was undoubtedly endorsed by the Liberals. The general election of 1906 resulted in a Liberal landslide and with this victory, the hopes of all those pressing for the enfranchisement of women were raised high. The party’s initial huge majority gave the government the power to enfranchise votes for women. However, the Liberals were apprehensive and no more willing than its Conservative predecessors to support the cause of women’s suffrage because of their fear that property-owning women would vote Conservative. Although many members of the Liberal Party were privately supportive of women’s suffrage including the influential David Lloyd George this was not in concord with the main party line. This essay will argue source 17’s claim that the Liberal Party did not ‘care a straw’ for women’s suffrage.
Firstly, the Liberal party were not dedicated to women’s suffrage and time after time, women were led to believe that votes for women were achievable, only to be let down and humiliated. This can be seen in the response to various reform bills. Before 1906, none of the bills for the enfranchisement of the women were introduced by the government but by individual members. Indeed, all these bills failed during this period due to a lack of government support and refusal for parliamentary time to debate this issue. For example the government refused to support an amendment to a Plural Voting Bill in 1906 which would have enfranchised a number of propertied women. Moreover, in 1910 when the First Conciliation Bill passed its second reading it failed because the government failed to grant it parliamentary time and in 1911 when the Second Conciliation Bill passed its second reading Asquith announced that he preferred to support manhood suffrage. These failures and lack of government support for the Conciliation Bills suggest that the Liberal Party may not have had any real interest in women’s suffrage as they failed to
Firstly, the Liberal party were not dedicated to women’s suffrage and time after time, women were led to believe that votes for women were achievable, only to be let down and humiliated. This can be seen in the response to various reform bills. Before 1906, none of the bills for the enfranchisement of the women were introduced by the government but by individual members. Indeed, all these bills failed during this period due to a lack of government support and refusal for parliamentary time to debate this issue. For example the government refused to support an amendment to a Plural Voting Bill in 1906 which would have enfranchised a number of propertied women. Moreover, in 1910 when the First Conciliation Bill passed its second reading it failed because the government failed to grant it parliamentary time and in 1911 when the Second Conciliation Bill passed its second reading Asquith announced that he preferred to support manhood suffrage. These failures and lack of government support for the Conciliation Bills suggest that the Liberal Party may not have had any real interest in women’s suffrage as they failed to