RAINBOW COALITION

noun (Politics) In political jargon (originally in the US): an alliance of minority peoples and other disadvantaged groups, acting together in an election or political forum so as to gain greater recognition for their cause. Etymology: Formed by compounding: a coalition of people of many colours (summed up by the image of a rainbow). History and Usage: The idea of the rainbow coalition originated in the Southern US in 1982 and was first widely written about in the early eighties, when liberal groups (and in particular the Democratic Party's Jesse Jackson, trying for a presidential nomination) put forward the idea that racial minorities, disadvantaged White groups, and women's interests could be combined to form a potentially powerful political pressure group. By the middle of the decade the imagery, at least, had spread to the UK, where the term was used to refer to possible coalitions of parties of differing political colours (such as the possibility of co-operation between the Liberal-Social Democrat Alliance and Labour). Jackson's prediction that he would attract a 'rainbow coalition'--of blacks, Hispanics, women, American Indians, peace advocates and others--has not come to pass. New Yorker 28 May 1984, p. 115 The Alliance's best chance of something spectacular is in Liverpool where they hope to gain minority control by forming a 'rainbow' coalition with Labour opponents of council deputy leader Derek Hatton. Today 6 May 1986, p. 16