Shadow government (conspiracy theory)

A shadow government is a conspiracy theory that says there is a secret group of people who control a government even though they are not elected or appointed to their positions. These people operate in secret and make decisions without anyone voting on them or even knowing they exist. They use the elected officials and their powers to do what they want, often without the public's knowledge or consent. It is believed that this group of people have more control over the government than the elected officials and can even override the laws and regulations put in place by the elected officials. This conspiracy theory also claims that this group of people have more knowledge and power than the government and can use it for their own personal gain.