Question

Rankin said denying women the vote was taxation without representation. Was this a valid claim?

Answer 1

It was a valid claim because the argument was that women were taxed, even though they had no say in government. This was a view that Anna Howard Shaw popularized in the United States. She argued that women should refuse to pay taxes, particularly on their income, until they could be full members of the political life of the country. Taxes are meant to be part of a partnership between the people and the government. While the people contribute with money to the government, the government is obligated to use the money in whatever the citizens see fit. By denying women the right to vote, the government is breaking this cycle of accountability.

Answer 2

Taxation without representation is a scenario in which the government imposes the taxation of a certain group despite the lack of knowledge of the group of citizens or the lack of consent. This can also be similar to denying women the right to vote in which they have no consent on whoever is going to lead a certain state.