Trailblazers
The First Women Elected to Government

Paula Bartley (Author)

9781509567973, Polity Press

Hardback, published 8 May 2026

320 pages
21.8 x 14.5 x 3.3 cm, 0.522 kg

"This book is a skilful excavation of nuggets of incredible herstories. Paula Bartley fills crucial gaps and silences in global political history, setting a gold standard for historical research on women in national governance. Trailblazers inspires feminist scholars to expand the knowledge of such actors through full-blown biographies."
Sylvia Tamale, author of When Hens Begin to Crow: Gender and Parliamentary Politics in Uganda

"An outstanding groundbreaking study with a truly global reach. Highly recommended."
Diane Atkinson, author of Rise Up, Women! The Remarkable Lives of the Suffragettes

"Paula Bartley has written a sweeping history of the first women elected to major national government positions around the world. Her pioneering study is engagingly written, widely researched and fills an important gap in our understanding of women's roles across the twentieth century."
Kathleen McCarthy, Director, Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society at The Graduate Center, CUNY

"Bartley has researched widely […] you would be forgiven for thinking she had visited every country and got to know the women themselves. Crucially, she is unsentimental: she makes no attempt to present her characters as perfect, but celebrates, and seems to enjoy, their many flaws, as well as their achievements."
Julie Bindel, The Spectator

In 1907, a lesbian feminist vegetarian stepped into male history. She was one of nineteen female Finnish politicians, the first women in the world to be elected to the ruling body of any country. These women sparked a chain reaction that would ignite across the globe. More – many, many more – were to follow.

Trailblazers is the story of some of the most extraordinary women – from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe – who trailblazed their way into a privileged male-only space: electoral representation. From aristocratic revolutionaries to women from the poorest backgrounds, these trailblazers risked everything to claim space in the corridors of power. Some faced arrest, exile, torture, even death. But nearly all of them had one thing in common: they defied the rules, challenged male authority and demanded a voice, not just for themselves but for the women in their country.

Trailblazers is not a neat tale of steady progress but a white-knuckle ride with some of the world's most extraordinary women. It is a raw chronicle of resistance and rebellion, of setbacks and victories, covering a century of global conflict, liberation movements, and political transformations. Through vivid storytelling, this meticulously researched book honours the women who laid the groundwork for all leaders of today.

A compelling read for anyone who wants to understand the roots of women's political power, and who loves daring and sometimes flawed heroines, untold stories and real-world inspiration. This is more than a history book – it is a celebration of courage, a reminder of how far we have come, a call to action, and a tribute to those who dared to demand their rights.

Introducing the Trailblazers

Chapter One
The first trailblazers, 1900-1918: Finland, Russia, USA

Chapter Two
The aftermath of war, 1918-1930: Britain, Canada, Germany, Austria, Hungary, China

Chapter Three
The Great Depression, 1930-1940: Spain, Turkey, Brazil, New Zealand

Chapter Four
War and peace, 1940-1950: Italy, France, Japan, Pakistan, Israel

Chapter Five
New Horizons, 1950-1960: Argentina, Indonesia, Egypt, Greece, Ethiopia, India

Chapter Six
Decolonisation and beyond, 1960-1970: Afghanistan, Bahamas, Cyprus, Iran, Zambia

Chapter Seven
Global challenges, 1970-1980: Switzerland, Mozambique, Pitcairn Islands

Chapter Eight
Navigating the 1980s: Angola, Turks and Caicos, Lichenstein, Tuvalu, Zimbabwe, Iraq

Chapter Nine
The journey's end? 1990-2000: South Africa, Croatia, Ukraine, Bahrain

Conclusion
You can't clap with one hand

Acknowledgements
Bibliography
Notes

Subject Areas: History [HB]