New Left

New Left, loose coalition of political and social groups from the 1960s and 1970s in the United States. Philosophies of the New Left ranged from beliefs in peaceful change to violent overthrow of the government. The coalition fought to end racial discrimination, poverty, and imperialism. Factions of the New Left, many of which were student-based, clashed with police and U.S. law enforcement in demonstrations at the 1968 Democratic convention in Chicago and other demonstrations focused against the war in Vietnam. The New Left is cited as one reason for President Lyndon Johnson's decision not to seek a second term in the 1968 election. Although the New Left coalition dissolved, it influenced later groups that focused on issues of the environment, women's rights, and civil rights.

See also: Students for a Democratic Society.