War,regime collapse,and women's suffrage: A comparative study of Japan,France,and Italy

Abstract

This article qualitatively compares the processes that led to women's suffrage in Japan, France, and Italy after the Second World War, identifying both commonalities and differences. In all three cases, existing regimes collapsed due to the war, and new political systems allowed women to gain the vote. To explain cross-country variation, the analysis focuses on three factors: the direct influence of occupying powers, women's suffrage movement and parliament, and the partisanship of decision makers. The comparison highlights the central role of war and regime collapse, showing that while both were important, regime collapse played a more decisive role in enabling women's suffrage. The study uses quantitative analysis, covering 1850–1950, to examine broader conditions for suffrage establishment, confirming the key role of regime collapse.