1.2.2 Suffragists' and Suffragettes' Efforts to Extend the Franchise

The Suffragists

National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies (NUWSS):

Methods:

• Peaceful Campaigning: The Suffragists employed non-violent methods such as petitions, peaceful demonstrations, and lobbying of Members of Parliament (MPs).

• Public Speaking and Literature: They organised public meetings, wrote articles, and distributed pamphlets to raise awareness and support for women's suffrage.

• Political Alliances: Worked to build alliances with sympathetic MPs and political parties to introduce and support suffrage bills in Parliament.

• Education and Persuasion: Focused on educating the public about the importance of women's voting rights through reasoned arguments and evidence. Achievements:

• Incremental Progress: While the Suffragists did not achieve immediate success, their persistent efforts helped to gradually shift public opinion and laid the groundwork for future legislative changes.

• Influence on Legislation: Their lobbying efforts contributed to the passage of the 1918 Representation of the People Act, which granted voting rights to certain women over 30.

The Suffragettes

Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU):

Methods:

• Militant Actions: The Suffragettes engaged in direct action, including hunger strikes, chaining themselves to railings, breaking windows, and setting fire to postboxes and buildings.
• Civil Disobedience: They disrupted political meetings and events to draw attention to their cause.
• Imprisonment and Hunger Strikes: Many Suffragettes were imprisoned for their actions. While in prison, they often went on hunger strikes, leading to force-feeding and increased public sympathy.
• Media and Publicity: Used bold and dramatic actions to gain media attention and highlight the suffrage issue in the national consciousness.

Achievements:

• Raising Awareness: The Suffragettes' dramatic actions brought significant attention to the women's suffrage movement, making it a prominent political issue.
• Influencing Public Opinion: Their militant approach created a sense of urgency and highlighted the lengths to which women were willing to go for the right to vote.
• Impact on Legislation: The combination of militant and non-militant pressure contributed to the government's decision to grant limited suffrage to women in 1918 and full suffrage in 1928.

Conclusion

The work of the Suffragists and Suffragettes was crucial in the fight to extend the franchise to women in the UK.

While the Suffragists used peaceful, law-abiding methods to build support and influence legislation, the Suffragettes adopted more radical and militant tactics to draw attention to the cause.

Together, their efforts played a significant role in securing women's right to vote, culminating in the passage of the 1918 and 1928 Representation of the People Acts, which progressively granted voting rights to women on equal terms with men.