Iincitethismeetingtorebellion:EmmelinePankhurstonmilitancy,protest,andjustice

ErinR.Pineda
UniversityofChicago
IntroductoryMeeting:Democracy,Disobedience,andResistance

Wednesday,March30,2016

EmmelinePankhurst,fromIincitethismeetingtorebellion(1912)
SolongasyoukeepinofficeanantisuffrageGovernment,youarepartiestotheirguilt,andfrom
henceforthweofferyouthesameoppositionwhichwegivetothepeoplewhomyouarekeepingin
powerwithyoursupport.
WehavesummonedtheLabourPartytodotheirdutybytheirownprogramme,andtogointoopposition
totheGovernmentoneveryquestionuntiltheGovernmentdojusticetowomen.Theyapparentlyarenot
willingtodothat.Someofthemtellusthatotherthingsaremoreimportantthanthelibertyofwomen
thanthelibertyofworkingwomen.Wesay,"Then,gentlemen,wemustteachyouthevalueofyourown
principles,anduntilyouarepreparedtostandfortherightofwomentodecidetheirlivesandthelaws
underwhichtheyshalllive,you,withMr.Asquithandcompany,areequallyresponsibleforallthathas
happenedandishappeningtowomeninthisstruggleforemancipation."
Thereisagreatdealofcriticism,ladiesandgentlemen,ofthismovement.Italwaysseemstomewhen
theantisuffragemembersoftheGovernmentcriticisemilitancyinwomenthatitisverylikebeastsof
preyreproachingthegentleranimalswhoturnindesperateresistancewhenatthepointofdeath.
Criticismfromgentlemenwhodonothesitatetoorderoutarmiestokillandslaytheiropponents,whodo
nothesitatetoencouragepartymobstoattackdefencelesswomeninpublicmeetingscriticismfrom
themhardlyringstrue.ThenIgetlettersfrompeoplewhotellmethattheyareardentsuffragistsbutwho
saythattheydonotliketherecentdevelopmentsinthemilitantmovement,andimploremetourgethe
membersnottoberecklesswithhumanlife.Ladiesandgentlemen,theonlyrecklessnessthemilitant
suffragistshaveshownabouthumanlifehasbeenabouttheirownlivesandnotaboutthelivesofothers,
andIsayhereandnowthatithasneverbeenandneverwillbethepolicyoftheWomen'sSocialand
PoliticalUnionrecklesslytoendangerhumanlife.Weleavethattotheenemy.Weleavethattothemen
intheirwarfare.Itisnotthemethodofwomen.No,evenfromthepointofviewofpublicpolicy,
militancyaffectingthesecurityofhumanlifewouldbeoutofplace.Thereissomethingthatgovernments
carefarmoreforthanhumanlife,andthatisthesecurityofproperty,andsoitisthroughpropertythatwe
shallstriketheenemy.Fromhenceforwardthewomenwhoagreewithmewillsay,'Wedisregardyour
laws,gentlemen,wesetthelibertyandthedignityandthewelfareofwomenaboveallsuch
considerations,andweshallcontinuethiswar,aswehavedoneinthepast;andwhatsacrificeof
property,orwhatinjurytopropertyaccrueswillnotbeourfault.ItwillbethefaultofthatGovernment
whoadmitthejusticeofourdemands,butrefusestoconcedethemwithouttheevidence,sotheyhave
toldus,affordedtogovernmentsofthepast,thatthosewhoaskedforlibertywereinearnestintheir
demands!
Bemilitanteachinyourownway.ThoseofyouwhocanexpressyourmilitancybygoingtotheHouseof
Commonsandrefusingtoleavewithoutsatisfaction,aswedidintheearlydaysdoso.Thoseofyou
whocanexpressmilitancybyfacingpartymobsatCabinetMinisters'meetings,whenyouremindthem
oftheirfalsenesstoprincipledoso.Thoseofyouwhocanexpressyourmilitancybyjoiningusinour
antiGovernmentbyelectionpolicydoso.Thoseofyouwhocanbreakwindowsbreakthem.Those
ofyouwhocanstillfurtherattackthesecretidolofproperty,soastomaketheGovernmentrealizethat
propertyisasgreatlyendangeredbywomen'ssuffrageasitwasbytheChartistsofolddoso.
AndmylastwordistotheGovernment:Iincitethismeetingtorebellion.IsaytotheGovernment:You
havenotdaredtotaketheleadersofUlsterfortheirincitementtorebellion.Takemeifyoudare,butif
youdareItellyouthis,thatsolongasthosewhoincitedtoarmedrebellionandthedestructionofhuman

lifeinUlsterareatliberty,youwillnotkeepmeinprison.Solongasmenrebelsandvotersareat
liberty,wewillnotremaininprison,firstdivisionornofirstdivision.