Campaign for Women's Suffrage

Importance of the First World War

The First World War was one of the main factors that contributed to the success of the campaign for women’s suffrage. During the war, the WSPU stopped their violent campaigning for the vote and concentrated on working for the war effort. Mrs. Pankhurst’s attitude towards the government in 1914 changed as she felt it was more important to rally support for the country and be patriotic. The NUWSS however, continued with their suffrage campaigning throughout the war years.

Mrs.Pankhurst suggested that women should be allowed to work in munitions factories. This would release men for the army and navy. Many women went into the munitions factories from domestic service. The work and the high rates of pay gave the servant girls a new sense of freedom. Women also worked as porters, bus-conductors, road-sweepers, postwomen and farm labourers. Women were also needed in the armed forces. They took over non-fighting jobs so that more men could be released for combat duties. This refuted one of the main arguments of the Antis who had claimed that women were not entitled to the vote since they were not capable of defending their country. There were two women's sections in the forces, the Women’s Auxiliary Army Corps (WAAC) and the Women’s Royal Naval Service (WRNS). A Women’s Land Army was also set up, to fill in the gaps left by male farm-workers who had joined up. Between 1914 and 1918 the number of women at work on farms rose by 33,000.

The war also brought about a change in attitude towards women and in the attitude of women towards themselves. Public opinion began to accept that women deserved a reward for their war efforts. Upper and middle class women believed they had won the right to independence. Working class women who had done men's jobs successfully now realised that they should not be thought of as second-class workers. Women became an established part of the workforce and set up their own trade unions.

Before the war the Prime Minister, Herbert Asquith, had been against giving the women the vote, thinking that they were too melodramatic and hysterical to be trusted. In 1918 however, he gave women over the age of 30 the right to vote. This opened the door and in 1928 the age was lowered to 21 finally giving equality with men. Asquith seemed to have changed his attitude to giving women the vote. However, in reality it was more probably due to the fact that Party Considerations had altered after the war.