Suffragette Successes/Failures

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Suffragette Successes/Failures

Advantages

  • Militancy (combativeness) brought publicity and more support.
  • The anti-suffragists were forced to become more organised so they could counter the propaganda and impact of the suffragette campaign e.g the National League for Opposing Woman Suffrage was founded in 1911, it attracted women in its work.
  • A series of suffrage bill 1908-11, meaning votes for women were back on the agenda.
  • WSPU success forced the NUWSS to become more active and an increase in membership.

Disadvantages

  • A lot of the suffragette activities were counter productive.
  • The 1912-14 violence alienated public opinion, and many were shocked by the actions of the Suffragettes.
  • MP harassment turned the public opinion against Suffragettes - they couldn't win over leading politicians like Asquith.
  • Even less MP's supported the actions of the Suffragettes than before - suffrage bills (pre 1908) usually gained majority on the 2nd reading, the 1912 Conciliation bill was defeated by a small majority.

Evaluation

The actions of the suffragettes actually caused less people to support them than there had been initially. The actions made Women seem less responsible and sensible in the eyes of many MP's, the opposite of the Suffragists' intentions.

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