Shielded democracy is a blend of direct democracy and managed democracy with meritocratic oversight, it uses calculated control to ensure the survival of its own values by "shielding" the electorate from difficult or wrong decisions. The government controls elections such that the people can exercise democratic rights without truly changing public or national policy. While they follow basic democratic principles, there can be major deviations towards authoritarianism. Under shielded democracy, the state's continuous use of propaganda techniques, such as through manufacturing consent, prevents the electorate from having a significant impact on policy.