Why did women get the
vote? - Summary
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So Why Were Women Given
the Vote?
 The simple answer is that no one reason
alone gained women the vote.
 Pre-war attitudes towards women were
changing long before 1914.
 The Suffrage movements campaigns showed
how serious women were about the vote.
 WW1 was important as it accelerated
change and made it easier for politicians to
grant “heroines” the vote rather than
militant suffragettes.
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Summary - Who says what:
Historiography
MARTIN PUGH
 Pugh –says changes to women’s lives
pre-1914 very important as made
women more “fitting” to vote.
 Pugh says Suffragists most important
due to respect of public, support of
many MPs and Conciliation Bills.
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Who says what:
Historiography continued
PAULA BARTLEY
 Bartley: supports idea of pre-war changes
being important as empowered women to
demand vote e.g. working with political
parties.
 Bartley thinks Suffragettes most important
as put “cause” on front page as well as
sympathy and support over force feeding.
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Who says what:
Historiography continued
ARTHUR MARWICK
 Marwick says early changes and suffrage
societies less important as they had not
achieved vote for women by 1914.
 Marwick states war accelerated changing
attitudes and let politicians off the hook as
could be seen as rewarding “heroines” rather
than giving into Suffragette violence.
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ESSAY TITLE
 “Changing attitudes in British Society
towards women was the major reason
why some women received the vote in
1918.” How accurate is this view?
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