| In the1997British general election, Labour Party’s new women policies, which were called all women shortlists and women minister, made101women became the House of Common M.P.s. If we only think the policies were Labor Party’s political chips to win the female vote, it was a serious mistake. Because the20th century witnessed the ups and downs of the British Labour Party, so did the gender modernization, and there was a deep connection between them.Urbanization ripped the Victorian past in the UK a gap. The sense of independence was sprout, and women had their own political societies. The women suffrage movement went through two stages, peaceful and violent. The two leaders:Mrs Fawcett providing election fund as a bargain chip for the support of early Labour Party; Mrs. Emmeline Pankhurst had a good personal friendship with Keir Hardie, and obtained his political spoiled. During the start-up period, the Labour Party had already owned a deep connection with Britain gender modernization. The Welfare State policies laid by Attlee government were closely related with women’s volunteer activities.During war years, British women participated public life. Together with extensive volunteer activities, Labour women activists especially concern the poverty of women. They had contributed much to safeguard women’s interests, such as welfare rights, and provided important reference to the Labour Party’s welfare state policies. Firstly, those policies violated against the conviction of the Beveridge’s limited benefits, the policies tried to meet all the basic needs of people crowded out the space of voluntary organization; Secondly, the policies which bundled women’s welfare rights with husband fixed the already loosen gender relations again. Women became the stepping stone on the road leading to the welfare state. True freedom must be consolidated and protected by law. Until the government was stabled, Wilson affirmed women’s rights by laws.During the sixties and seventies of the20th century, accompanied by the formation of consumer society and the expansion of personal consciousness, British second wave feminist movement set off. New Feminism expanded the extension of political, they were trying to get rid of the special oppression suffered by women, and got the strong support from Labour Party and the trade unions in some areas. Meanwhile, Thatcher reform made huge unemployment and the deep gap between rich and poor.WAC focused on analysing women’s employment unfairness and made lots of useful suggestions, they tried to remedy the disaster of Thatcher reform.Blair’s new women policies were product of the gender modernization, also a reform of Labour Party’s policies. Fawcett Society exposed to the phenomenon of the gender gap exists in general election, made Labour Party treated squarely on the significance of women’s vote. The introduction and implementation of new women policies won majority votes for Labour, and more than100women entered the Common House unprecedently. After intense controversy, the policies got recognition of Conservative Party and Liberal Democrats on the rights of women’s political participation. However, the presence of structural violence and cultural discrimination got women M.P.s targeted, they were almost excluded from the decision-making circle. Subjected to the glass trapdoor and glass wall, common women’s social status still to be improved. The value of new women policies worth considering.At this point, the change of British women’s status, and the development of the Labour Party have the same historical turning point. Labour rised by the campaign of gender modernization, and counteracted it too. The relation which between party politics and gender fluctuated between the "class and sex" and "patriarchal and cabinet". Finally, women’s gender consciousness and Labour’s cabinet desire gradually take hold. The pattern of modern British gender adjustment was not only the result of the improvement of women’s political and economy, but also the product of Labour Party’s support. |
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