Women in Britain

Historically, the traditional role of women of all classes in Britain had been confined to that of mother in the home. Single and childless women consequently had an uncomfortable and difficult time. The majority of women had no voting or political rights until 1928, and for centuries wives and their property had been the legal possessions of their husbands. Formal education for women was thought to be unnecessary for their role in life, and was non-existent for the majority.

The female position in society became a little better in some respects towards the end of the nineteenth century, but was still very limited. However, elementary education for all was established and a few institutions of higher education began to admit women in restricted numbers.

Since the 1960's, women in Britain have been fighting for greater equality with men in job opportunities and rates of pay. Various laws from the 1970's to the present have been made. In spite of all these, men remain better paid than women in many occupations, particularly in industry. Women constitute nearly half the national workforce, there are more employed married women in Britain than in any other European Community country, and some 60 percent of wives are now employed compared with 22 percent in 1951. But their average weekly wage is still only 70 percent of the average paid to men. This is true of both the manufacturing trades and the service industries. The majority of female workers are consequently badly paid and often unprotected by the trade unions or the law.