The Future of the Women's MovementSwanwick, Helena M. (Helena Maria)
General
The Future of the Women's Movement
Swanwick, Helena M. (Helena Maria)
Women -- Social and moral questions; Women's rights
The influence of the women’s vote would be felt by no means only at
election times. In the countries where it exists it has not so much
affected the balance of parties; that is to say, it has not had just that
element of fighting that so interests the sensation lover and that is
so fundamentally contrary to real progress. There has been no apparent
opposition of interests and no sex-war, but politics have been peacefully
penetrated by the women’s point of view. Women without the vote can do
something to form public opinion; but women with the vote will find
public opinion far easier to move. Acts of Parliament do not spring
full-grown from the minds of politicians; we see how different interests
are at work moulding them, before they are even presented as Bills,
and it is the voters who are listened to, the voters whom the Minister
in charge addresses and persuades and treats with, the voters whose
amendments are first taken. I do not deny that politicians do sometimes
consult women, but what women? Some say they consult their own wives;
who selected these wives, and for what qualities? It is farcical, when
democracy insists that men shall choose their own rulers, to tell women
that they get the equivalent when men choose what and how many women they
will “consult.” Voting women may be expected to influence Bills both in
their introduction and in their passage through Parliament. Members have
repeatedly stated that they could have voted for certain amendments or
measures if they had felt that they owed their seat in Parliament in part
to the votes of women who favoured these measures. A member represents
only his constituents, and in the long-run he votes in accordance with
the views of his constituents. If he does not, it is their fault for
electing him.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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