The Social Order

Pamphlet from the National Association Opposed to Women's Suffrage

This pamphlet created by the National Association Opposed to Women's Suffrage helps demonstrate the views of Anti-Suffragists. This pamphlet suggests that women having the right to vote will ultimately damage society and forewarns possible "evils" that may occur. The anti-suffragist men were accustomed to a patriarchal society where men held all the power, and granting suffrage to women threatened to upset this balance. By denying women the right to vote, anti-suffragists attempted to maintain their dominant position in society and politics. The idea of women having a say in political matters was so threatening that they believed it would ultimately lead to the nation's downfall.

Most anti-suffragist propaganda from the early 20th century shared a similar theme. There was a consistent pattern in their association with women's suffrage and the possibility of causing enormous chaos. The underlying fear was that men would have to share the workplace with women, which went against traditional values. The anti-suffragist movement was dominated by the fear that women would leave their domestic lifestyle and take on larger roles in society and politics. Thus, male opposition to women's suffrage was partly to protect their self-interests. They did not want to worry about taking on traditionally female duties or competing with women in the job market. Keeping women submissive and confined to their homes protected men from these perceived threats.