Editing Cabal (section)

== Etymology ==

The term ''cabal'' is derived from [[Kabbalah]] (a word that has numerous spelling variations), the [[Jewish mysticism|Jewish mystical]] interpretation of the Hebrew scripture (קַבָּלָה). In [[Hebrew language|Hebrew]], it means "received doctrine" or "tradition",<ref>''The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language'' (3rd edition), [[Houghton-Mifflin]], Boston/New York, ©1992, p. 365</ref> while in European culture ([[Christian Cabala]], [[Hermetic Qabalah]]) it became associated with [[occult]] doctrine or a secret.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Kabbalah : a very short introduction|last=Dan|first=Joseph|page=67|date=2007|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=9780195327052|location=New York, NY|oclc=60664380}}</ref>

It came into English via the French ''cabale'' from the medieval Latin ''cabbala'', and was known early in the 17th century through usages linked to [[Charles II of England|Charles II]] and [[Oliver Cromwell]]. By the middle of the 17th century, it had developed further to mean some intrigue entered into by a small group and also referred to the group of people so involved, i.e. a semi-secret political clique.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-cab1.htm|title=World Wide Words: Cabal|language=en|access-date=2018-05-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180501021445/http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-cab1.htm|archive-date=2018-05-01}}</ref>

There is a theory that the term took on its present meaning from a group of ministers formed in 1668 – the "[[Cabal ministry]]" of King [[Charles II of England]]. Members included [[Thomas Clifford, 1st Baron Clifford of Chudleigh|Sir Thomas Clifford]], [[Henry Bennet, 1st Earl of Arlington|Lord Arlington]], the [[George Villiers, 2nd Duke of Buckingham|Duke of Buckingham]], [[Anthony Ashley Cooper, 1st Earl of Shaftesbury|Lord Ashley]] and [[John Maitland, 1st Duke of Lauderdale|Lord Lauderdale]], whose initial letters coincidentally spelled CABAL,<ref>{{cite EB1911 |wstitle=Cabal |volume=4 |page=913}}</ref> and who were the signatories of the public Treaty of Dover that allied [[England]] to [[France]] in a prospective war against the [[Netherlands]], and served as a cover for the [[Secret Treaty of Dover]].<ref>Durant, Will and Ariel. ''The Age of Louis XIV''. (page 277) New York: Simon And Schuster, 1963.</ref> The theory that the word originated as an acronym from the names of the group of ministers is a [[folk etymology]], although the coincidence was noted at the time and could possibly have popularized its use.<ref name=HCG>{{Cite book|title=Europe: Its Influence on South Africa|last=Girdlestone|first=Henry Clapcott|page=178|edition=11th impression, revised & enlarged by Cecil Lewis|date=1926|publisher=Juta & Co.|location=Cape Town}}</ref>