Political activism between 'dinner and tea':Labour women and the problem of participation

两次世界大战之间的工党妇女是政党政治的先驱。虽然许多人过去属于附属组织，如妇女劳工联盟，但那些从1918年加入的人可以在党内发挥全面作用。与其他党员一样，工党妇女也有参与的动机。他们试图影响政策，实现共同的目标，享受政治的社会方面。然而，当考虑到他们的经验时，往往是他们未能实现所强调的共同目标。据说，妇女选择了她们阶级的政党，这样做就丧失了她们性别的最大利益。由工会意见主导的工党被视为遏制妇女的工具，而不是提供机会。然而，这种解释忽视了妇女的能动性，忽视了她们参与和继续参与的选择。妇女不仅是工党的一部分，而且她们的代表也是工党最活跃的部分。党的领导层最初可能没有为他们提供足够的空间，但他们在现有空间内作出的重大贡献不应被忽视。这项研究的重点是通过当地部门的档案记录了解女劳工的经历，将纠正这种平衡。它将历史化妇女在两次世界大战之间的工党政治中的经历，恢复她们的代理权，并指出当时和今天作为一名党员意味着什么。

The women of interwar Labour were pioneers in party politics. Whilst many belonged to affiliated organisations such as the Women's Labour League in the past, those who joined from 1918 could play a full role in the party ranks. Like other party members, Labour women had incentives to participate. They sought to influence policy, to achieve shared goals and to enjoy the social aspects of politics. However, when their experience is considered, it is often their failure to achieveshared aims which are emphasized. Women are said to have chosen the party of their class and, in doing so, to have forfeited the best interests of their sex. The Labour Party, dominated by trade union opinion, has been seen as a vehicleto contain women rather than offer opportunity. However, such interpretations overlook the agency of women, the choice they made to participate and to continue participating. Women not only formed part of Labour, but theirs representedone of the most active sections of the party. They may not have been offered enough room by the party leadership initially, but the significant contributions they made within the space available to them should not be overlooked. This study,focussing on the experience of Labour women through the archives of records from their local sections, will redress this balance. It will historicise the experience of women in interwar Labour Party politics, restoring their agency and pointing to what it means to be a party member, then and today.