From Feminism to Class Politics

This book discusses the rise and decline of women's politics in Reykjavik between 1908 and 1922. Why did it take women so long to be elected in any numbers to national legislature? What has been the political significance of women's entry into national legislatures? By combining theories and studies on international women's movements with an empirical study on the women's lists in Reykjavik, an attempt is made to answer these questions by connecting theory, history and practice. The answers are sought by examining an aspect of the development of parties ignored by mosr political scientists, namely the relationship between women's suffrage, party politics and patriarchal power.