The women's suffrage movement holds profound significance in the history of the United States (U.S.). It represented the ongoing struggle for equality and democratic principles. At its core, suffrage …show more content…
Political elites sought to maintain their power and influence by co-opting or diluting the goals of the movement. Political leaders, predominantly men, initially resisted granting women the right to vote, fearing the loss of their own authority. As Olfmi O. Táw noted in his book Elite Capture, it is evident that identity politics, such as the suffragette movement, can be manipulated and instrumentalized by those in power. "But that is a feature of how identity politics is being used, rather than what identity politics is at its core. "(pg 9 Táw) This observation highlights the manipulation of identity politics by those in power, illustrating how the rhetoric and vocabulary of a movement can be appropriated to serve elite interests, rather than advancing the genuine aspirations of marginalized