 The separation of civil from political and social rights was traditionally invoked to limit the scope of citizenship rights so as to keep the members of certain social groups, notably women, blacks, and wage-workers, in their subordinate status. The claims of members of those groups to the franchise were denied with the assertion that, even though all citizens were entitled to civil rights, not all were entitled to political rights. The franchise was said to be, not a right, but rather a “privilege,” properly conferred only on those who were fit to exercise it in a way that would promote the good of society (Keyssar: 38 and 177). And the claims of blacks to be served by a business or to travel in a railroad car to which whites had access were denied with the assertion that civil rights did not touch upon social matters such as the decisions of persons and businesses to associate with the members of one race but not another. Such decisions were said to be analogous to a person’s choice of friends or dinner guests.