ABSTRACT
The Second World War, which tore France violently apart as a result of the Occupation and Resistance, had far-reaching effects, not only on the political, but also on the social and cultural life of the country. The year 1945 was a major turning point for France generally and a milestone in the history of women’s emancipation. Three main factors directly or indirectly contributed to women’s emancipation in France after 1945. First, the part women had played in the war, and particularly in the Resistance movement, made it no longer appropriate to continue denying them the vote. Thus, the right to vote, which had been fought for so hopelessly since the 1870s, was suddenly granted by de Gaulle on 25 August 1944. Second, the lack of manpower and the need for an increased workforce to regenerate France’s desperately depleted industries required more women to work. (This was mainly the case for women of the working classes.) Third, the increase and prolongation of schooling, resulting from the movement to the cities from the land-due to the transition from predominantly agricultural to industrial labour patterns-meant that women received an increasingly better education. As we shall see, however, there were considerable counter-elements which constantly militated against these forces of progress.
