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The two words alliance and coalition seem to have the same general meaning:
a group of political partners with similar aims
Is there a difference between them? Are there clear-cut rules as to when one would be preferred over the other? Or are pretty much interchangeable in just about any context?
The two terms are closely related, and even interchangeable in many cases. However, the two words focus on different things. Alliance is more about mutual interests or benefit, while coalition is more about doing some action.
The use of both terms is not limited to the political context. They can be used in other contexts: military, financial, commercial, technological, and so on. Having said that, I agree that coalition is used most often in the political context for "a temporary alliance of political parties forming a government or of states" (see below).
Here are their definitions, according to Oxford dictionary:
alliance (noun)
1. A union or association formed for mutual benefit, especially between countries or organizations.
1.1 A relationship based on similarity of interests, nature, or qualities.
1.2 A state of being joined or associated.coalition (noun) A temporary alliance for combined action, especially of political parties forming a government.
Here is a quote from Get Them On Your Side by Samuel B. Bacharach (chapter 5):
Formally defined, a coalition is a politically mobilized collection of interest groups or individuals committed to achieving a common outcome (i.e., resistance or change). Through political mobilization you create a group that has some sense of shared goals and/or a sense of connected interests. A coalition is an alliance for joint action.
In short, a coalition is an alliance for joint action.
Alliance is like Atlantic Alliance aka NATO where every member has an equal vote. Coalition implies willingness to join a cause such as the coalition forces that invaded Iraq. Equality among members is not there. It is led by a strong leader others willingly following. Ultimately the words are used interchangeably in common parlance. As one of the previous answers stated coalition is temporary while alliance is long term.
An alliance is more loose than a coalition. A coalition is a group that are identified with the same action. For example, if The U.S. forms a coalition with India, China, South Korea, and Japan, whatever they do, they all take the blame. If the U.S. forms an alliance with Britain, France, and Germany, if Germany attacks someone, the U.S. is not responsible to as great an extent. Alliances are more for defense, whereas coalition are more for joint attack.
But it really doesn't matter in a casual context, no one is going to blame you for saying alliance when it should be coalition.
Alliance is a pact used before the election but Coalition is done after the election, this is the main vital differences in both the terms however both terms are same .
To consider as an event of a conflict between nations, alliance, and coalition means differently. For alliance, Alliance is an agreement between two nations, enter into voluntarily that represents a non-binding commitment to help each other in event of arm conflict. Non-binding by binding lesser than a coalition to tie, for instance, the tying of hands or feet together, so that the tying still gives the opportunity to untie the tying.
And
For the coalition, A coalition is a set of nations that simply fight together in a war whether or not they have a prior agreement to do so. To illustrate, a coalition is a tying. The tying up of hands and feet together, thus, die or live together in this binding. In this binding, the only chance to untie the binding is leaving from the treaty of the coalition.
