Word of the Day
October 18, 2024
Coalition
A temporary alliance of distinct parties, persons, or states for joint action; a union formed for combined action, especially of political parties or nations.
From Latin 'coalitio' meaning 'a growing together,' from 'coalescere' meaning to grow together or unite. First used in English political contexts in the 17th century.
Usage Examples
- Successful candidates must build a coalition that brings together more than half the population.
- The coalition of small business owners opposed the new tax proposal.
- First-past-the-post voting incentivizes coalition building among diverse voter groups.
From the Show
The concept of coalition dominated the October 18th discussion as Allen Thomas explained how traditional voting systems incentivize candidates to build broad coalitions rather than appeal to narrow pluralities, contrasting this with ranked choice voting’s potential to fragment political movements.