History of suffragettes - the campaign for women's suffrage in the UK

2022年10月22日

サフラジェット (英語: Suffragettes) は19世紀末から20世紀初頭にかけて、「参政権」(英語: Suffrage)、つまり選挙で投票する権利を女性にも与えるよう主張する女性団体のメンバーだった人々のことです。今日は彼女たちの活躍を見ていきましょう。(English) Suffragettes were people in the late 19th and early 20th centuries who were members of "suffrage," a women's organization that advocated giving women the right to vote in elections. Today, let us see what they did.

History of suffragettes - the campaign for women's suffrage in the UK

What is a Safrajet?

At the time, women did not have the right to vote in the UK.

Organizations emerged in the late 1800s and early 1900s (around the First World War) to advocate for women's right to vote.

In 1897, Millicent Fawcett organized the National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies (NUWSS - Suffrage Society).

Initially, they organized peaceful canvassing campaigns, but these were largely ineffective.

By 1903, the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU), led by Emmeline Pankhurst and her daughter Crystal, was formed.

The WSPU was known for its violent protests.

(They were inspired by the exiles from Russia to England at the time.)

They broke windows, committed arson and bombings, and staged militant and combative protests.

(They burned post boxes and poured acid on them.

They also targeted places where wealthy people (especially men) were present, such as cricket grounds and racecourses, for arson and vandalism).

The term 'suffragettes' was used by Charles E. Hands of the Daily Mail in 1906 in a derogatory reference to these women in his newspaper.

However, the activists pronounced the [G] strongly "suffraGETtes."

It meant that they didn't just want to vote. They want to win it "get."

From then on, the name Suffragettes became popular.

Passed the Prisoners (Temporary Discharge for Ill Health) Act 1913, commonly known as the Cat and Mouse Act.

Under this Act, suffragettes were to be temporarily released when their health deteriorated and imprisoned until the end of their sentence when their health improved.

This incorporated hunger strikes into the legislation.

The British Government was relieved of hunger strikers' responsibility to die or fall ill from hunger.

Furthermore, when not imprisoned, suffragettes could take the word that they were too sick and weak to take part in demonstrations.

Most suffragettes continued their hunger strikes when they were re-imprisoned after release.

Massive forced feeding ceased after the introduction of this law.

Only women who had been convicted of serious crimes and who were considered likely to re-offend if released were subjected to forced feeding.

In early 1913, in response to the 'cat and mouse law,' the WSPU created a group of women known as the 'bodyguards.'

(The WSPU was the target of public assault, so they learned JIU-JITSU to protect themselves.)

When the First World War began in 1914, Emmeline Pankhurst decided to end all militant women's suffrage movements and cooperate in the war effort.

Once the suffragette movement moved away from the women's suffrage movement, it began to concentrate its efforts on war cooperation.

As a result, the hunger strikes stopped.

In August 1914, the British Government granted amnesty to all prisoners imprisoned in the women's suffrage movement.

Also, as the suffragettes shifted their focus to war cooperation, public opinion shifted in favor of the "partial introduction of women's suffrage in 1918".

An agreement was then reached between the coalition government and the National Federation of Women's Suffrage Associations.

On 6 February 1918, the "National Representation Act" was passed.

The Representation of the People Act brought universal suffrage to men over the age of 21 and women over 30.

Before this, not all British men had the right to suffrage.

Women were also required to have minimal property, be the head of the household, and be married.

This gave 8.4 million women the right to vote.

In November 1918, the Women's Qualified Parliament Act was passed, making it possible for women to be elected to Parliament.

In 1928, the "Representation of the People Act" was amended, extending the right to vote to women over 21.

This allowed them to vote on the same terms men had gained a decade earlier.

The suffragette movement (belligerent protest) remains controversial.

History of suffragettes - the campaign for women's suffrage in the UK