{"product_id":"trailblazers-the-first-women-elected-to-government-hardback-9781509567973","title":"Trailblazers; The First Women Elected to Government (Hardback) 9781509567973","description":"\u003cfont face=\"Georgia\"\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"6\"\u003eTrailblazers\u003c\/font\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\r\n\u003cfont size=\"5\"\u003eThe First Women Elected to Government\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"4\"\u003ePaula Bartley (Author)\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003e9781509567973, Polity Press\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003eHardback, published 8 May 2026\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003e320 pages\u003cbr\u003e21.8 x 14.5 x 3.3 cm, 0.522 kg\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\u003cp align=\"justify\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"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. \u003ci\u003eTrailblazers\u003c\/i\u003e inspires feminist scholars to expand the knowledge of such actors through full-blown biographies.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSylvia Tamale, author of \u003ci\u003eWhen Hens Begin to Crow: Gender and Parliamentary Politics in Uganda\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"An outstanding groundbreaking study with a truly global reach. Highly recommended.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eDiane Atkinson, author of \u003ci\u003eRise Up, Women! The Remarkable Lives of the Suffragettes\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"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.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eKathleen McCarthy, Director, Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society at The Graduate Center, CUNY\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"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.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eJulie Bindel, \u003ci\u003eThe Spectator\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp align=\"justify\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn 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.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eTrailblazers\u003c\/i\u003e 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.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eTrailblazers\u003c\/i\u003e 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.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003eIntroducing the Trailblazers\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eChapter One\u003cbr\u003eThe first trailblazers, 1900-1918: Finland, Russia, USA\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eChapter Two\u003cbr\u003eThe aftermath of war, 1918-1930: Britain, Canada, Germany, Austria, Hungary, China\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eChapter Three \u003cbr\u003eThe Great Depression, 1930-1940: Spain, Turkey, Brazil, New Zealand\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eChapter Four\u003cbr\u003eWar and peace, 1940-1950: Italy, France, Japan, Pakistan, Israel\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eChapter Five\u003cbr\u003eNew Horizons, 1950-1960: Argentina, Indonesia, Egypt, Greece, Ethiopia, India\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eChapter Six\u003cbr\u003eDecolonisation and beyond, 1960-1970: Afghanistan, Bahamas, Cyprus, Iran, Zambia\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eChapter Seven\u003cbr\u003eGlobal challenges, 1970-1980: Switzerland, Mozambique, Pitcairn Islands\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eChapter Eight\u003cbr\u003eNavigating the 1980s: Angola, Turks and Caicos, Lichenstein, Tuvalu, Zimbabwe, Iraq\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eChapter Nine\u003cbr\u003eThe journey's end? 1990-2000: South Africa, Croatia, Ukraine, Bahrain\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eConclusion\u003cbr\u003eYou can't clap with one hand\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAcknowledgements\u003cbr\u003eBibliography\u003cbr\u003eNotes\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003eSubject Areas: History [\u003ca title=\"See our other books on History\" href=\"https:\/\/freshlyprintedbooks.co.uk\/search?q=%22History%20%5BHB%5D%22\"\u003eHB\u003c\/a\u003e]\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\r\n\u003c\/font\u003e","brand":"Polity","offers":[{"title":"Brand New","offer_id":52449452687640,"sku":"9781509567973","price":18.47,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0730\/2037\/5320\/files\/9781509567973.jpg?v=1785199888","url":"https:\/\/freshlyprintedbooks.co.uk\/products\/trailblazers-the-first-women-elected-to-government-hardback-9781509567973","provider":"Freshly Printed Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}