Policy-making by stealth

Government may respond to controversial issues by formulating and implementing unpopular policies such as to avoid democratic review before a point of no return. Conversely, popular policies which are experienced as a constraint by government and by powerful pressure groups may be relaxed and diluted in ways which are not detected until it is too late to repair the damage done.

In the UK the government was accused in 1993 of endeavouring to privatize the health service by stealth and of endeavouring to impose a country-wide pattern of expressways without appropriate consultation.