The Representation of the People Act of 1918

This year I participated in my school's heat of the Historical Association's Great Debate which is an annual debate for students and keen historians. This year the title question was: "Was the 1918 extension of the franchise the most significant moment in British democratic history?" Competitors have to write a 5-minute speech with their take on this question and go through a series of heats until the top debaters are chosen to give their speeches at the final in the House of Commons. Unfortunately for me I was not chosen to represent my school although I lost to a very worthy competitor, my good friend who also runs a great history blog (check it out here).

The following was my speech.

In 1918 the Representation of the People Act was passed which for the first time in British history granted women the right to vote and meant that women’s political opinions were finally being represented in parliament. This was extremely significant due to its enduring and embryonic effects as well as the fact that it strengthened British democracy by placing the power into the hands of a greater number of people, thus promoting social equality. In contrast, a common argument is that the 1215 Magna Carta has been one of the founding pillars of British democracy for which reason many believe it to be the most significant document in British democratic history. However, I would argue that the durability of the consequences of this document is just one of the reasons the extension of the franchise in 1918 was more significant.

Women’s suffrage was extremely important due to the enduring effect it has had on British democracy and social equality. One of the many arguments used to insist that women did not deserve the right to vote before 1918 was that political matters did not concern them because they were seen as existing within a domestic sphere — therefore how could they possibly understand politics? However, extending the electorate to include women meant that the leading powers of Britain were finally accepting that this view was incredibly antiquated and was no longer relevant to the modern role of women. This meant that the 1918 extension of the franchise was an embryonic moment which catalysed women’s rights movements, transforming society into one far more modern and equal. Since this catalytic event, feminism has been growingly successful. Since 1918 women in the UK have gained critical human rights including the right to abortion in 1967 and the criminalisation of marital rape 1994.

Many argue that because women did not fully have the same rights as men to vote until 1928, the 1918 legislature was not so significant. However, the reality is that 1918 was just the first step towards a better and more inclusive democracy. Given the great prejudices that still existed in government in 1918 it would have been unrealistic to expect to achieve complete equality straight away. Furthermore, although Britain was not the first country to include women in its electorate, women were still yet to gain the same voting rights as men anywhere in the world so the government was not at the time seen to be holding back in the same way we would now retrospectively argue it did.

Nonetheless, finally including women in the electorate was a radical and profound change. Before 1918, women had no individual say whatsoever in affairs of the state; now, at last, they could speak for themselves and effectively implement change in Britain’s sociopolitical climate. Therefore, the 1918 extension of the franchise was an incredibly significant moment in British democratic history.

The Magna Carta was a critical component of the foundations of British democracy. It was written in 1215 to formally position the king in subordination to the law and to concrete the rights of the individual which was a very significant step towards the constitutional monarchy we have today.

Of the original sixty-three clauses, some were so significant that they still remain a part of British law. The clause forbidding arbitrary arrest of individuals and the sale of justice was especially important as it paved the way to a justice system which resembles that which we use now including trial by jury, which made English society much fairer and more diplomatic.

Moreover, the Magna Carta was the basis for constitutions around the world including the United States Constitution. The fact that it influenced the content of another document written 500 years later surely indicates that the Magna Carta was very significant due to its enduring and embryonic global effects. Had it never been written, the American Constitution and Britain’s unwritten constitution would have indubitably looked far different.

However, when considering how significant the Magna Carta was in terms of British democratic history, its effects were truly only temporary; many of them do not even affect our democracy. Of the sixty-three original clauses only three remain because a large number of the clauses became obsolete once society progressed and modernised.

While the charter did have a significant effect on future documents, its effects in Britain were only short-term which makes it less of a significant document in the context of this question.

Furthermore, the extension of the franchise in 1918 is a prime example that equality is imperative in order to achieve a functioning and fair democracy but no aspect of the Magna Carta promoted social equality. Not only did certain clauses limit women’s rights, but also others enforced the authority of just twenty-five wealthy barons in maintaining the effects of the charter. A very small group of men gained a great amount of power. This is the antithesis of the more equal and just society the women’s suffrage movement had been fighting for — the antithesis of a fair democracy.

Overall, while the Magna Carta was a very influential document which influenced global constitutions and has remnants which can still be found in British law, the long-term effects of the charter are very limited and ultimately have not had a great impact on British democracy nor did they promote social equality. Conversely, the 1918 extension of the franchise was a profound moment which accelerated an equal rights movement which continues into the 21st century and no doubt will continue to succeed for decades to come. Therefore, the 1918 extension of the franchise was the most significant moment in British democratic history.

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