Political ignorance of the activities or working of governmental structures, and lack of awareness concerning political issues, may be general or it may be confined to underprivileged social and ethnic groups. General ignorance concerning the activities and working of the government may enable decisions to be taken undemocratically, and repression, torture and other crimes against humanity to be carried out without censure. It may equally lead to violent, rather than constitutional, means of change. Ignorance concerning political issues and the political ignorance of ethnic and other underprivileged social groups helps to maintain social inequalities, social injustice, exploitation, discrimination and social conflict, and may result in social breakdown or ethnic disintegration.