Essentially a catalogue of 19th century arguments against women’s suffrage, Bushnell predicted social disintegration if American women were ever allowed to participate in politics. Voting would change the character and behaviour of women, Bushnell claimed; involvement in campaigns and debates would make them “nasty… artful and cunning”. Political equality would also upset the power balance in marriages, leading to conflict, divorce and family breakdowns. One of Bushnell’s more outlandish claims is that...