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 | This page in a nutshell: A sham consensus may not be relied on, because it violates a policy, a guideline, or an ArbCom decision. |
A sham consensus is either a false consensus or a wrongful consensus, or both, thus in violation of an ArbCom decision, a policy, or a guideline. A sham consensus includes an absence of a consensus where the absence has the same cause.
Do not rely on a sham consensus. However, in most cases, a consensus is not a sham even if several editors disagree with it. And even a sham consensus can change, and if that happens it may no longer be a sham. If there is a sham consensus, procedures and remedies are unchanged by this essay and may be applied as appropriate.