On this day in 1893 in New Zealand women voted for the first time ever in history in national parliamentary elections.

In the 19th century democracies started to develop in Western countries after the French revolution and Napoleonic era. Based on the enlightenment idea of popular sovereignty and the powerful force of nationalism, kings and queens started to realize that God doesn’t give them the right to rule, but the people, and that it is probably wise to share power with them before guillotines start appearing again.

The right to vote was first given to the wealthy upper-class men, but this slowly expanded to men of the middle and lower classes. In the second half of the 19th century women also started to demand to right of vote and the suffragette movement was born. In the ultra-traditional Victorian era, most men thought this was ridiculous. A good woman would stay at home, take care of her kids, stay away from public life and be very passive. Women were seen as undeveloped men with an undeveloped brain. Women who did speak out might be classified as having ‘hysteria’, a common ‘disease’ at the time.

Unfortunately for the Victorian men, the suffragette movement was an unstoppable force, and their first large victory was achieved on the 19th of September of 1893 when female suffrage was given Royal assent in New Zealand. In many other countries female suffrage was introduced after World War 1 after women had shown they are as capable as men by doing all their jobs on the home front.  

New Zealand has always been a very progressive country and frontrunner concerning human rights and the welfare state and continues to do so under prime minister Jacinda Ardern. She became the youngest female head of state and the second woman to give birth while in office setting a great example for other women. 

Originally posted on Instagram on November 28, 2021