Pearson Education, Inc. © 2005 Chapter 8 SOCIAL MOVEMENTS

Pearson Education, Inc. © 2005 Women Win the Right to Vote The actions of Angelina Grimké illustrate the struggle for women’s rights. –The first woman to speak before an American legislative body –Addressed the Massachusetts legislature in February 1838 and presented a petition against slavery from an estimated 20,000 women –Helped to inspire women who had entered political life through participation in the abolitionist movement to also press for women’s rights

Pearson Education, Inc. © 2005 The Seneca Falls Declaration (1848) –Elizabeth Cady Stanton’s declaration stated that “all men and women are created equal” and presented a long list of violations of rights. –It failed to have an immediate impact because most politically active people in the abolitionist movement believed that the first priority was to end slavery. –Following the abolition of slavery, women’s rights leaders pressed for equal citizenship rights for all persons, regardless of race or gender. –They were bitterly disappointed when the Fourteenth Amendment failed to include women.

Pearson Education, Inc. © 2005 Formation of women’s rights organizations soon after the Civil War –For more than two decades, the National Woman Suffrage Association (NWSA) and the American Woman Suffrage Association (AWSA) feuded over how to pressure male politicians. –In 1890, the two main organizations joined together to form the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA). –The movement was now focused, mostly united, and growing more powerful every year.

Pearson Education, Inc. © 2005 The main instrument for winning the struggle to amend the Constitution admitting women to full citizenship was a powerful social movement that... –Dared to challenge the status quo –Used unconventional tactics to gain attention and sympathy –Demanded bravery and commitment from many women

Pearson Education, Inc. © 2005 What Are Social Movements? Social movements are loosely organized collections of people and groups who act over time, outside established institutions, to promote or resist social change. Social movements: –focus on broad, society-wide issues –tend to act outside of normal channels of government, using unconventional, often disruptive, tactics –are generally the political instruments of political outsiders –are generally mass grassroots phenomena –are populated by individuals with a shared sense of grievance –are very difficult to organize and sustain

Pearson Education, Inc. © 2005 Major Social Movements Abolitionist movement Populist movement Women’s suffrage Labor movement Peace movement –conscientious objection Civil rights movement Anti-Vietnam War movement

Pearson Education, Inc. © 2005 Women’s movement –Equal Rights Amendment Environmental movement Gay and lesbian movement Religious fundamentalist movements –Pro-life (anti-abortion) movement Anti- (corporate) globalization movement Anti-Iraq war movement

Pearson Education, Inc. © 2005 Social Movements in a Majoritarian Democracy At first glance, social movements do not seem to fit very well with democratic theory. –They usually start out as minority phenomena. –They often use disruptive tactics.

Pearson Education, Inc. © 2005 How Can Social Movements Help Make American Politics More Democratic? They encourage popular involvement and interest in politics. –Broadening the “scope of conflict” They often allow those without substantial resources to enter the game of politics. –Mass mobilization Although they start out as minorities, they create new majorities. They often are crucial in overcoming gridlock or the status quo. –Civil Rights movement –Women’s suffrage movement

Pearson Education, Inc. © 2005 Factors That Encourage the Creation of Social Movements A certain combination of factors (mostly structural in nature) seems to be necessary for a social movement to develop. –Social distress –Resources for mobilization –Supportive environment –Sense of efficacy among the participants –Catalyst

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Unconventional Tactics of Social Movements Social movements tend to use dramatic gestures and are often disruptive. –Women’s suffrage movement: mass demonstrations and hunger strikes –Labor movement: sit-down strikes –Civil Rights movement: nonviolent civil disobedience

Pearson Education, Inc. © 2005 Why Some Social Movements Succeed and Others Do Not Key factors: –the proximity of the movement’s goals to American values –the movement’s capacity to win public attention and support –the movement’s ability to affect the political fortunes of elected leaders

Pearson Education, Inc. © 2005 Low-impact Social Movements A social movement will have little impact if it has few followers and activists, little support among the general public, and is unable to significantly affect everyday life or the election prospects of politicians. A social movement is unlikely to have an impact on policy when it stimulates the formation of a powerful countermovement.

Pearson Education, Inc. © 2005 Social movements committed to radical changes in society and the economy tend to threaten widely shared values and the interests of the powerful. Such movements rarely gain widespread popular support and often face repression of some sort. Early labor movement Pullman strike Repressed Social Movements

Pearson Education, Inc. © 2005 Partially Successful Social Movements Some social movements have enough power and public support to generate a favorable response from public officials but not enough to force them to go very far. Government may respond in a partial or half- hearted way. –Anti-poverty measures –Christian conservatives and abortion –Gay and lesbian issues

Pearson Education, Inc. © 2005 Successful Social Movements Social movements that have many supporters, wide public sympathy, do not challenge the basics of the economic and social order, and wield some electoral clout are likely to achieve a substantial number of their goals. –Women’s suffrage movement –Civil rights movement Legislation and constitutional amendments are indicators that a social movement has made a major impact on politics and policy. Success also includes increased respect for members of the movement, changes in fundamental underlying values, and increased representation in decision-making bodies.

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