Politics, Economy, and Women's Rights in the Edwardian Era

Edward's Colonial Policy

While it had this development in a particular context, following the political method of the mother, Edward wanted to set its policy as a colonialist policy; in that period, the most important countries were: France, Great Britain and Belgium. Germany in this period began to spread its power. Edward was so concerned about the development of Germany and so he began to focus his attention on it, creating pressures on the economy and politics Germanic, discovering precisely that Germany had expansionist policy towards the British colonies. Having fear of the consequences, intelligently he decided to solve problems with France and form together with Russia and Japan, the so-called Intent Cordial. Edward was the first English king to go to Russia in order to ally with it. In 1902, he founded the Order of Merit to reward those who distinguished themselves in science, art or literature.

Economic and Industrial Crisis

But if on the one hand we have this positive strategy for the economic, on the other hand we have a fall of the economy following a series of strikes due to a breakdown of the budget so workers no longer go to work. Although these important measures of social improvement were passed, the Edwardian period was a time of industrial unrest, strikes (scioperi) and violence. The strikes, meant to be weapons against the government, were called because of high prices and low wages (salari). They were remarkable for the number of men involved (coinvolti) and for the violence which often accompanied them.

Constitutional Crisis and Succession

The Liberal program led to a constitutional crisis when the House of Lords refused to pass the Liberal budget of 1909. The budget, called the “People’s Budget”, included welfare programs and unprecedented taxes on the wealthy.

Edward Vii died in 1910 before the situation could be resolved, and was succeeded by his son, who became George V. He maintained a certain informality, which suited his simple, straightforward character and made him popular. On several occasions he showed that the king’s right to advise could be significant. Were he to be judged by posterity, he would prove to be a model monarch by carrying out his royal responsibilities with exemplary dedication while having an irreprehensible family life.

Suffragette Movement

The Suffragettes were educated ladies, who, together with a very small number of male sympathizers, had been arguing in favor of voting rights for women since the 1860. However, no one paid much attention to them until 1903, when Mirs Emmeline Pankhurst founded the Women’s Social and Political Union. The “Suffraggettes” wanted women to have the vote and soon won massive publicity for their cause.