Refers to cunning political or strategic maneuvering, often with a negative connotation of manipulation.
He is a politician skilled in political maneuvering.
The plan failed due to the enemy's stratagem.
Machiavellian scheming; wiles and trickery; political cunning
Machiavellian scheming; trickery; wiles
Compound of 権 (power, authority) and 謀 (plot, scheme). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the combination naturally yields the meaning of scheming using power.