"Their contribution during world war one was the main reason why the majority of women gained the right to vote in 1918" How valid is this view?
Before 1918, women were considered to be very much within their own sphere of influence separate from men. Throughout the 19th century women had slowly been gaining voting privileges, but only in areas considered to be within their spheres such as the vote for school boards, the vote for poor law boards and the vote for county councils. Traditionally many historians have argued that the main reason for the enfranchisement of women in 1918 was their work during world war one. This view is being disputed on multiple levels; some argue that the war itself called for a rearrangement of the whole electoral system. Alternatively other historians argue that the work of the women's suffrage workers such as the suffragist's and the suffragettes, who campaigned for women's rights throughout the 19th century, was the most significant factor in gaining the vote for women.
Women's contributions during world war one significantly contributed to the cause for the enfranchisement of women. During world war one, women occupied the jobs of the men fighting in the army. Women worked in positions such as public transport operators, such as bus and tram drivers, night wardens and munitions factory workers. Traditionally the view has been that this work during the war was the main cause for the enfranchisement of women, as stated by Asquith himself, however now this view is being disputed. Bartley argues against this due to the fact that in 1918, the vote was only awarded to wealthy women over the age of thirty, despite that it was primarily working class women who did these jobs during the war. Additionally, Bartley argues that working class women had always filled these positions so a sudden recognition of this would be unlikely to be the reasoning behind awarding the vote to women. Bartley also argues that men resented women filling their positions whilst they were fighting overseas and they were quick to kick them out of these positions once they had returned. Rover argues that
Women's contributions during world war one significantly contributed to the cause for the enfranchisement of women. During world war one, women occupied the jobs of the men fighting in the army. Women worked in positions such as public transport operators, such as bus and tram drivers, night wardens and munitions factory workers. Traditionally the view has been that this work during the war was the main cause for the enfranchisement of women, as stated by Asquith himself, however now this view is being disputed. Bartley argues against this due to the fact that in 1918, the vote was only awarded to wealthy women over the age of thirty, despite that it was primarily working class women who did these jobs during the war. Additionally, Bartley argues that working class women had always filled these positions so a sudden recognition of this would be unlikely to be the reasoning behind awarding the vote to women. Bartley also argues that men resented women filling their positions whilst they were fighting overseas and they were quick to kick them out of these positions once they had returned. Rover argues that