Machinations (maquinaciones) is a plural noun, and usually refers to plotting, scheming, and manipulations – usually in governments or political parties – for the control of power or evil ends (fines malvados).
We are often not aware of the full extent of these machinations. The word comes from the French “machina”, meaning machine.
Examine these examples:
- The public is in the dark (…esta a oscuras sobre…) about the machinations between Podemos and PSOE in La Moncloa.
- The EU, with its machinations over Brexit, is destroying confidence (…con sus maquinaciones está destruyendo la confianza).
- The left wing (de izquierdas) of the British Labour party is machinating (or plotting = conspirando) to take control of the party. Here we have the adjective “machinating”.
A common use is “political machinations” as people plot – usually in secret – to get power in governments. In Venezuela there have been many machinations by the dictatorship to keep control of the country.
Have you ever been involved in machinations?
