The Unexpurgated Case Against Woman Suffrage

The Unexpurgated Case Against Woman Suffrage (1913)
by Almroth Wright
1947785The Unexpurgated Case Against Woman Suffrage1913Almroth Wright


THE

UNEXPURGATED CASE

AGAINST

WOMAN SUFFRAGE



BY
SIR ALMROTH E. WRIGHT
M.D„ F.R.S.



NEW YORK
PAUL B. HOEBER

69 East 59th Street



Copyright, 1913
By PAUL B. HOEBER



CONTENTS
page
Preface 11
Introduction 21
Programme of This Treatise—Motives from which Women Claim the Suffrage—Types of Men who Support the Suffrage—John Stuart Mill.

PART I
Arguments Which Are Adduced in Support of Woman's Suffrage

I

Arguments from Elementary Natural Rights 33
Signification of the Term "Woman's Rights"—Argument from "Justice"—Juridical Justice—"Egalitarian Equity"—Argument from Justice Applied to Taxation—Argument from Liberty—Summary of Arguments from Elementary Natural Rights.

II

Arguments from Intellectual Grievances of Woman 54
Complaint of Want of Chivalry—Complaint of "Insults"—Complaint of "Illogicalities"—Complaint of "Prejudices"—The Familiar Suffragist Grievance of the Drunkard Voter and the Woman of Property Who is a Non-Voter—The Grievance of Woman being Required to Obey Man-Made Laws.

III

Arguments which take the Form of "Counsels of Perfection" Addressed to Man 72
Argument that Woman Requires a Vote for her Protection—Argument that Woman ought to be Invested with the Responsibilities of Voting in Order that She May Attain Her Full Intellectual Stature.

PART II
Arguments against the Concession of the Parliamentary Suffrage to Woman

I

Woman's Disability in the Matter of Physical Force 79
International Position of State would be Imperilled by Woman's Suffrage—Internal Equilibrium of State would be Imperilled.

II

Woman's Disability in the Matter of Intellect 88
Characteristics of the Feminine Mind—Suffragist Illusions with Regard to the Equality of Man and Woman as Workers—Prospect for the Intellectual Future of Woman—Has Woman Advanced?

III

Woman's Disability in the Matter of Public Morality 98
Standards by which Morality can be Appraised—Conflict between Different Moralities—The Correct Standard of Morality—Moral Psychology of Man and Woman—Difference between Man and Woman in Matters of Public Morality.

IV

Mental Outlook and Programme of the Female Legislative Reformer 114

V

Ulterior Ends which the Woman's Suffrage Movement has in View 136

PART III
Is There, if the Suffrage Is Barred, Any Palliative or Corrective for the Discontents of Woman?

I

Palliatives or Correctives for the Discontent of Woman 155
What are the Suffragist's Grievances?—Economic and Physiological Difficulties of Woman—Intellectual Grievances of Suffragist and Corrective.

Appendix

Letter on Militant Hysteria 167

This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published in 1913, before the cutoff of January 1, 1929.


The longest-living author of this work died in 1947, so this work is in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 76 years or less. This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works.

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