Pankhurst's great passion for the worthy cause stirred and her eloquence and magnetism drew publicity and women to the fight for the vote. As Bradley wrote, 'there could have been a reformation without luther,' Emmeline was not a total key to women achieving the vote-that was a combination of consistant campaigning, women's contribution to the war effort and the political climate of the time (there had been changes in parliament, the franchise neede reform and it was reflecting world trend).
However, theough her work, in particualar that of militancy, she was able to dreaw scrutiny, attention and increase the pressure on the Liberal government of the day to consider the cse of votes for women. The radical and extreme actions of arsonry, hunger strikes, tax evasion and census caused government and police to take action and notice the cause.
Emmeline lent passion, ideals and a willingness to sacrifice all: family, friends and health for the cause of women's suffrage. It should be noted that her influence and importance in 'lighting the suffrage movement' might have been magnified as the first books on the movement were written by Emmeline herself and her family. This would present a biased view of her vitality to the movement.
Early historians and antisuffragists argue that she discredited the suffrage movement and created more government resistance. The vote for women was inevitable, but she sped the provess up. Others, more recent, suggest that her militant actions were appropriate 'in the face of male intrinsengency' and Holton, that she was ‘aware of her historical legacy’.
Doubtless, Emmeline is sure to remain honoured and linked to women's suffrage due to her remarkable radical and eloquent voicing and actions, for if anything, she lived to the WSPU creed of 'deeds not words'. Her foundation of the WSPU, insistant push for votes and use of any means possible to achieve the vote, which she viewed as a political, social and economic imperitive, will continue to be debated as to whether it helped or hindered the Womewn's sufferage movement.
anyone have any valuble info on this topic?? or what i can talk about in my speech?