Controlled Opposition

Controlled opposition is a political strategy in which an opposition movement is permitted or encouraged and its leaders possibly infiltrated or supported by an entity that seeks to control or undermine the movement. The term is often used in the context of conspiracy theories, where it is suggested that opposition groups are covertly managed by the very establishment they appear to challenge. The concept implies that the opposition is not genuinely independent but rather serves to channel dissent in a controlled manner, preventing more radical or effective forms of resistance. In Hebrew, the term can be translated as התנגדות מונחת (Hatenugdot Munahat). Similar concepts exist in other languages, such as opposition contrôlée in French and kontrollierte Opposition in German. The idea of controlled opposition is often discussed in the context of political science, sociology, and conspiracy theories, where it is used to explain why certain opposition movements fail to achieve significant change despite widespread support.