The Times and the women's suffrage movement, 1900-1918

[摘要] The thesis, "The Times and the Women's Suffrage Movement 1900-1918", is aimed at clarifying the paper's treatment of a contentious subject and amplifying the historical data about the movement itself. In order to accomplish this, the daily issues of the newspaper and its background were examined, along with the available sources on women's suffrage.After first reviewing the past and status of The Times, and the history and achievements of the suffragists, the study takes the shape of a chronological account ofthe paper's response to the movement in the first 19 yearsof thetwentieth century.Until1905,the response was negligible, as indeedwas the energy of the suffragists. With the advent ofmilitant tactics, inspired by the Pankhurst-headed Women'sSocial and Political Union, the public image of women'ssuffrage began to change and, with it, press coverage.Until1908,these new tactics were largely symbolic, thoughoften leading to the arrest and imprisonment of the newstyle "suffragettes". Besides opposing female enfranchisementin leading articles, there is some evidence that The Timesallowed its opinions to spill over into its news columns -an occurrence which was to become increasingly obviouswhen militant tactics took on the violent aspect of stone throwing from 1908-1911. During this later period, TheTimes' editorial opposition hardened; when the suffragettesbegan employing arson and other property damage, in whatwas openlyclaimed to be "guerrilla warfare" in the years preceding the First World War, The Times used its respectable journalistic leadership to condemn the militants andurge active public and parliamentary opposition to theenfranchisement of women.When Britain entered the war, concern with the militantwomen disappeared from The Times' columns, as did othernews unrelated to the conflict. By 1916, however, theparticipation of women in wartime activities began tocommand publicity, and a groundswell of support forenfranchisement finally overtook The Times in 1917.Subsequent leading articles were favorable, as were themajority of its wartime news accounts of women.Besides serving as a record of The Times' sensitivityto a popularly discussed topic, the study uncovers a threadof consistency running from the first perfunctory oppositionto women's suffrage through active condemnation of militancyand final support of female enfranchisement. The Timesalways emphasized its adherence to educated public opinion;and even when its editorial shift did come, it seemed onlyto emphasize continuing reflection of this opinion andrecognition of the trends acting upon it. The Times canthen be seen as a newspaper possessing not only strengthbut flexibility towards political and social change.

[发布机构] University:University of St Andrews;Department:History (School of)