Women's Sufferage Movement (NAWSA and AWSA) Term Paper

Women's Sufferage Movement (NAWSA and AWSA) - Term Paper Example In the earliest days of these movements, the major driving force was always the need to enable women to vote in the elections. The National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA) and the American Women Suffrage Association (AWSA) have indeed played a great role in trying to bridge the gap that always existed and making the lives of women better throughout the country1. However, the core of the argument in this respect concerns the success of these women movements in their activities. This argument arises out of the general feeling that the activities of these movements have not always addressed the fundamental discrimination that faces women in the country. The major focus of these women’s organizations in the early days of formation was basically to secure the right to vote. However, in the present case, these movements are always in a constant search for equity between men and women in all spheres of life. It has indeed been realized that the activities of NAWSA in the suffrage movement was always absorbed in dealing with the challenges faced by minority women in the marginalized areas of America. In this regard, it was therefore much difficult for these organizations to realize their ultimate objectives. In any case, it was always imperative that the organizations address the challenges faced by the minority women in America. ... In the same manner, it was further realized that there was a lot of infighting between the women movements mostly emanating from the need to gain recognition across the country. Without doubt, the infighting was certainly a ground that never favored the activities of these organizations. It must be admitted that woman’s suffrage movements actually became a vital force in the fight against the discrimination of women in the country. However, much success for the organizations would be realized in the event of a united force seeking to address the fundamental issues affecting the women. For instance, in 1914, Paul and Burns broke from the NAWSA when they formed the Congressional Union which later changed its name to the National Woman’s Party. As a result of this divide, it was realized that the activities of the organization actually diminished as much focus was now geared toward leadership jostles and other aspects of the organization instead of the major focus of seeki ng to address the injustices that were directed towards women in the country. The success of these women suffrage movements has therefore been much limited compared to their potential to address the needs of women in the country. Despite the common feeling that NAWSA and AWSA have not really performed to their full potential, it must be realized that on the overall scorecard, it can be stated that the women’s movements have indeed played a great role in the creating a sense of equity between the lives of women and men in entirely all phases of life in the United States. Much success for these organizations has been realized to the extent that the United States is presently ahead in terms of gender equity for most of its