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PinkMonkey Online Study Guide-World History
9.10 Representation of the People Acts 1918 & 1928
The Female Suffrage Movement
It was widely believed that women were not made to govern. In 1867, John Stuart Mill had spoken in favor of voting rights for women. This created a favorable atmosphere for the ’Female Suffrage Movement.’
Under the leadership of influential women such as Mrs. Fawcett, Mrs. Pethick-Lawrence and the Pankhursts several women suffrage societies sprang up, and began to work towards women’s claim to franchise.
During the World War I (1914-18), women had played a vital role and had substituted for men in some service. Thus their demands were granted as a reward of appreciation, after the World War I.
In 1918, the ’Representation of the People Act’ was passed
by Parliament in 1918, granting franchise to all men over twenty-one
and to all women of thirty years and above.
The works of electoral reform was completed by the Representation of the People Act of 1928, which granted the right to vote, to all women over twenty-one years.
Thus the rule of the people was established step by step.
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