racial spoils

English

Noun

racial spoils pl (plural only)

1. (US, politics, derogatory) Preferential treatment of minorities in source selection for government contracts.

   The State Senate recently voted to adopt a racial spoils system whereby at least 25% of construction contracts must be awarded to minority-owned businesses.

   • 2009, George F. Will, “The Wreck of the Racial Spoils System”, in The Washington Post:

     Ricci [v. DeStefano] may be the rock upon which America's racial spoils system finally founders.