Social Movements, Political Elites and Political Opportunity Structures: The Case of the Woman Suffrage Movement from 1890-1920

Abstract

Under what conditions are members of Congress and the president (political elites) responsive to social movements and when do social movements gain access to members of Congress and the president? This research explores the ebb and flow of political elite responsiveness to social movements, and social movement access to political elites, through a longitudinal analysis of one of the waves of the women's movement: 1890-1920. It focuses on the political opportunity structure as a determinant of the degree of responsiveness and access, and of relations between social movements and political elites. The political opportunity structure is a term used to describe the political climate and institutional arrangements of a political system. It is composed of the level of electoral stability, level of unity among elites, mass opinion, and powers granted to party leaders. Findings include that the political opportunity structure (POS) was a key determinant of the relations between the women's movement and political elites, and more generally, of relations between political elites and social movements. Under an open POS the women's movement gained more access to and response from Congress and the presidency than under a closed POS. During an open POS members of the Congress and the president were in need of the resources that the women's movement offered (members, votes, issues). Thus, the women's movement had increased political leverage with political elites under an open POS. The disfranchisement of twelve millions of people, who are citizens of the United States , should command from us immediate action. Since the women of this country are unjustly deprived of a right... common justice requires that we should submit the proposition for a change in the fundamental law to the State legislatures, where the correction can be made. (Favorable Committee Report of the Judiciary Committee, January 13,1890