A cabal is a secretive group that plots illegal or evil actions, often in politics or social intrigue. The term originated from a group of scheming ministers in King Charles II’s administration. Cabals can become powerful and go public, but their actions often involve backroom trading and conspiracy. The term is also used in the tech world to describe shadow groups that control message boards and games.
A cabal is a group of people who meet for the purpose of plotting something that is typically illegal or just plain evil. Cabals have obviously been a part of human society for thousands of years, working behind the scenes to carry out various political and social intrigues, ranging from assassinations to insider trading. As a general rule, when a cabal is declared, the results are catastrophic, as members struggle to hide their involvement and their organization’s goals.
The term was first used in reference to a gaggle of scheming ministers in the administration of the British King Charles II. The ministers worked around 1671-1673 and their collective actions became so associated with the conspiracy that they lent the first letters of their surnames to the acronym CABAL, which later became “cabal”. Strangely, the members of this original cabal didn’t actually get along very well, perhaps because they were too busy advancing their own agendas through betrayal and intrigue. The word is also said to be connected to Kabbalah, a mystical Jewish tradition shrouded in history.
Lord Clifford, the “C” in the cabal, was a social climber who fought his way up to his position as Lord Treasurer. He converted to Catholicism and proved to be a bit of a warmonger, suggesting an invasion of the Netherlands to replenish the national treasury and presumably its coffers as well. Lord Arlingon became famous for pursuing the supreme power of Charles II, and also for fighting for war with the Dutch, while Lord Buckingham schemed to become prime minister, ruthlessly undermining those who stood in his way. Lord Ashley intrigued against the accession to the throne of James II, the next king, while Lord Lauderdale was a fierce and cynical Scottish governor.
When a cabal becomes powerful enough, it can go public, leveraging popular opinion and a large membership base to advance. In some cases, cabals are actually quite open about their goals, especially in politics, even though members of the group may not tell the full story behind their actions and motivations. Even when a cabal goes public, the implication is that backroom trading is involved, adding a certain dark aspect to the group’s activities.
The term is also used in the tech world to describe shadow groups that can control message boards and games; without a cabal, many of these media outlets would sink into anarchy, so the implication of an insidious conspiracy is perhaps undeserved. A cabal can also be a group of people who work closely on product development in isolated settings, in the slang terminology of some industries.
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