Reneging on pledges

Something is usually promised only to be broken to aid the party who broke the promise, though a promise may sometimes not be met through circumstances beyond the party's control.

Promises may be broken at government level for political gain or maintenance, such as during elections or to appease opponents and/or friends. For instance, the British government was accused in 1995 of reneging on promises to make no further cuts in the armed forces.