History Main / AgentProvocateur

->''Now, this is only one of a number of similar episodes. In recent years, it appears, there has entered for the first time, systematically and unashamed, into the administration of British justice the repellent figure of the'' agent provocateur, ''which is a French expression signifying an official spy who causes an offence to secure a conviction; and I use that phrase partly to impress upon you your own profound ignorance and partly because there is no other. There is no other phrase, and for a very good reason, the idea is so repugnant to British notions of fair play and decency that it has never found expression in our language.''

-->'''Rex ''v'' The Commissioner of Metropolitan Police, Chief Inspector Charles, Inspector Smart, Sergeant Oliphant and Constable Boot''', reported in ''Literature/UncommonLaw''

** In ''VideoGame/StarWarsTheOldRepublic'', the first two acts of the [[DarthVaderClone Sith Warrior]] storyline involve your master sending you on various missions to provoke the Republic into open war.

* In ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls'' series, this is a favored tactic of the [[ANaziByAnyOtherName Thalmor]]-led 4th Era [[AntiHumanAlliance Aldmeri]] [[TheEmpire Dominion]]. Though the nation of a LongLived WitchSpecies, the Altmer (High Elves) suffer from an ImmortalProcreationClause which limits their birthrates (and is further hampered by rumors that they cull children with undesirable traits), leaving them at a disadvantage in drawn-out wars of attrition. As such, they prefer a DivideAndConquer strategy which includes setting their enemies up to fight and weaken one another ahead of Dominion takeover. Through the use of agents, they sow discord in rival nations. Most notably, they used these to goad the [[LizardFolk Argonians]] into first seceding from the [[VestigialEmpire faltering Empire]] then invading a [[EarthShatteringKaboom Red]] [[ChekhovsVolcano Year]]-weakened Morrowind, home of their long time oppressors, the Dunmer (Dark Elves), stripping their ArchEnemy Empire of two provinces at once.

-->''Now, this is only one of a number of similar episodes. In recent years, it appears, there has entered for the first time, systematically and unashamed, into the administration of British justice the repellent figure of the'' agent provocateur, ''which is a French expression signifying an official spy who causes an offence to secure a conviction; and I use that phrase partly to impress upon you your own profound ignorance and partly because there is no other. There is no other phrase, and for a very good reason, the idea is so repugnant to British notions of fair play and decency that it has never found expression in our language.''
--->'''Rex ''v'' The Commissioner of Metropolitan Police, Chief Inspector Charles, Inspector Smart, Sergeant Oliphant and Constable Boot''', reported in ''Literature/UncommonLaw''

* In the wake of the 2016 US Presidential election, an investigation (still ongoing) into Russia's use of this trope was opened to determine just how far it reached. Most of these "Troll Farms" utilize social media (e.g. Tumblr and Reddit), while others bought ad space on Facebook and other, more established sites, but all of them share the same goal of [[AppleOfDiscord sowing discord in whatever ways they can]].

* In ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}'', This is the common tactic of Genestealer cults: Their aim is to incite rebellion and civil war across the whole world they're established on, which they do by infiltrating both sides. That way they can ensure the Arbites will shoot at peaceful demonstrators, as well as ensure most demonstrators won't be peaceful to begin with, and violence will escalate.

* In ''MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'', [[spoiler:Discord, donning the disguise of TheGhost]] Grogar, tries to goad the other villains [[spoiler:Queen Chrysalis, Lord Tirek, Cozy Glow and King Sombra (whom he himself reanimated)]] into combining forces and attacking Equestria [[spoiler:for the sole purpose of granting the Mane Six a glorious victory just in time of Princess Twilight's ascension to the throne]]. Predictably, the whole scheme goes pear-shaped when the villains perform [[LetsGetDangerous far more competently]] than expected.

* In ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'', the Ishval uprising is supposedly the result of a soldier accidentally shooting an Ishval boy. [[spoiler:It was actually Envy, who had posed as an Armestrian soldier and shot the child with the intent of causing the rebellion. This is pretty much the Homunculi's modus operandi: they start wars for the express purpose of [[ConnectTheMurders drawing the enormous transmutation circle]] [[BigBad Father]] needs for [[AGodAmI his master plan]].]]

* ''Dark Blue World'' (2001). One of the inmates in the post-war prison in Communist Czechoslovakia suggests they steal a tool from the doctor's office and use it to break out. Later he admits the guards put him up to it, so they could have an excuse to beat up the protagonist. According to the DVDCommentary this was TruthInTelevision.

* While police [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sting_operation sting operations]] (such as asking to buy some drugs hoping the suspected drug dealer would agree, then catching them in the act) bear a close resemblance to this trope, the police have to be careful. Crossing the line into persuading someone to commit a crime they otherwise would have been unlikely to is called entrapment, and depending on the jurisdiction can get evidence tossed or even cause the whole case to be dismissed. ''Proving'' this has happened can be difficult for the defendant though.

* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COINTELPRO COINTELPRO]] was an American government program of Agent Provocateurs deployed between 1956 and 1971. Agents were sent to infiltrate the civil rights and anti-Vietnam War movements, among others. J. Edgar Hoover's infiltration of the Communist Party USA is an interesting example of EpicFail with this trope to the point of RealityIsUnrealistic. It turns out the US government pumped so much money and had so many informants in the CPUSA, it actually kept the organization from collapsing. Some of its cells in the 1950s apparently [[FlockOfWolves had more FBI agents that actual communists as members]].

* In the ''ComicBook/ComicCavalcade'' tie in to the ''ComicBook/WonderWoman1942'' Saturn storyline Bandia and Sheika place themselves on Paradise Island imitating Diana and Hippolyte to try to force the Amazons to declare war on the United States of America. They very nearly succeed.

* In ''MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'', [[spoiler:Discord, donning the disguise of TheGhost]] Grogar, tries to goad the other villains [[spoiler:Queen Chrysalis, Lord Tirek, Cozy Glow and King Sombra (whom he himself reanimated)]] into combining forces and attacking Equestria [[spoiler:for the sole purpose of granting the Mane Six a glorious victory just in time of Princess Twilight's ascension to the throne]]. Predictably, the whole scheme goes pear-shaped when the villains turn perform [[LetsGetDangerous far more competently]] than expected.

* In ''MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'', [[spoiler:Discord, donning the disguise of TheGhost]] Grogar, tries to goad the other villains [[spoiler:Queen Chrysalis, Lord Tirek, Cozy Glow and King Sombra (whom he himself reanimated)]] into combining forces and attacking Equestria [[spoiler:for the sole purpose of granting the Mane Six a glorious victory just in time of Princess Twilight's ascension to the throne]]. Predictably, the whole scheme goes pear-shaped when the villains turn out to be [[LetsGetDangerous far more competent]] than expected.

* In ''MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'', [[spoiler:Discord, donning the disguise of TheGhost]] Grogar, tries to goad the other villains [[spoiler:Queen Chrysalis, Lord Tirek, Cozy Glow and King Sombra (whom he himself reanimated)]] into combining forces and attacking Equestria [[spoiler:for the distinct purpose of granting the Mane Six a glorious victory just in time of Princess Twilight's ascension to the throne]]. Predictably, the whole scheme goes pear-shaped when the villains turn out to be [[LetsGetDangerous far more competent]] than expected.

* In ''MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'', [[spoiler:Discord, donning the disguise of TheGhost]] Grogar, tries to goad the other villains [[spoiler:Queen Chrysalis, Lord Tirek, Cozy Glow and King Sombra (whom he himself reanimated)]] into combining forces and attacking Equestria [[spoiler:for the distinct purpose of granting the Mane Six a glorious victory just in time of Princess Twilight's ascension to the throne]]. Predictably, the whole scheme falls apart when the villains far surpass his expectations.

* In ''MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'', [[spoiler:Discord donning the disguise of TheGhost]] Grogar, tries to goad the other villains [[spoiler:Queen Chrysalis, Lord Tirek, Cozy Glow and King Sombra (whom he himself reanimated)]] into combining forces and attacking Equestria, [[spoiler:for the distinct purpose of granting the Mane Six a glorious victory just in time of Princess Twilight's ascension to the throne]]. Predictably, the whole scheme falls apart when the villains far surpass his 'hopes'.

* In ''MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'', [[spoiler:Discord donning the disguise of TheGhost]] Grogar, tries to goad the other villains [[Queen Chrysalis, Lord Tirek, Cozy Glow and King Sombra (whom he himself reanimated)]] into combining forces and attacking Equestria, [[spoiler:for the distinct purpose of granting the Mane Six a glorious victory just in time of Princess Twilight's ascension to the throne]]. Predictably, the whole scheme falls apart when the villains far surpass his expectations.

[[/folder]]

* Some people have assumed that Website/{{Tumblr}} has been the targets of these - not because the government wishes to discredit the social justice movement(s) prevalent on the site, but because {{troll}}s are simply bored and want to dismantle the movement(s) by invoking PoesLaw. One ''infamous'' example of this was [=#TakeDown4Chan=], which [[AwakeningTheSleepingGiant went about as well as you would expect]]. It's been both claimed and suspected that the entire farce was started by 4Chan, though [[Administrivia/RuleOfCautiousEditingJudgment lets just leave it at that]].

* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COINTELPRO COINTELPRO]] was an American government program of Agent Provocateurs deployed between 1956 and 1971. Agents were sent to infiltrate the civil rights and anti-Vietnam War movements, among others. J. Edgar Hoover's infiltration of the Communist Party USA is an interesting example of EpicFail with this trope to the point of RealityIsUnrealistic. It turns out the US government pumped so much money and had so many informants in the CPUSA, it actually kept the organization from collapsing. Some of its cells in the 1950s apparently had more FBI agents that actual Communists as members.
* Some people have assumed that Website/{{Tumblr}} has been the targets of these - not because the government wishes to discredit the social justice movement(s) prevalent on the site, but because {{Troll}}s are simply bored and want to dismantle the movement(s) by invoking PoesLaw. One ''infamous'' example of this was [=#TakeDown4Chan=], which [[AwakeningTheSleepingGiant went about as well as you would expect]]. It's been both claimed and suspected that the entire farce was started by 4Chan, though [[Administrivia/RuleOfCautiousEditingJudgment lets just leave it at that]].

* This is pretty much the point of ''Film/AttackOfTheClones'' mixed with a FalseFlagOperation. Count Dooku is sent to stir up the galaxy against Chancellor Palpatine in order to make it so the latter can justify seizing more power. The reason its the former and not the latter is the troops on the ground had no idea they were just cannon fodder for Palpatine's goals and the Separatist cause was never meant to succeed.

** In the ''Literature/HandOfThrawn'' duology, this is the role of "Vengeance", supposedly a grassroots organization of citizens outraged at the political crises ''du jour'', [[spoiler: actually an Imperial infiltration team of maybe a dozen guys, posing as a massive organization]]. In addition to starting riots and otherwise stirring up trouble, they use high-tech stealth blasters and redirection crystals to make it appear that planetary forces (and in one case, Han Solo) are shooting back at protestors. In their final act on Bothawui, they go one step further, [[spoiler: arranging for the planetary shields to be shut down, and infiltrating members onto selected parts of the multispecies fleet in orbit to incite an all-out war by bombarding the planet]].

* Adolf Verluc in ''Literature/TheSecretAgent'' is a Russian spy tasked with provoking a crackdown on British anarchists by getting them to blow up the Greenwich Observatory. Unfortunately the anarchists in question are a lazy lot who don't fit the Russians' ideas of {{Bomb Throwing Anarchist}}s. [[spoiler: Verluc ends up converting his brother, a mentally retarded teenager, to violent anarchism to get him to do it.]]

* While police [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sting_operation sting operations]] (such as asking to buy some drugs hoping the suspected drug dealer would agree, then catching them in the act) bear a close resemblance to this trope, the police have to be careful. Crossing the line into persuading someone to commit a crime they otherwise would have been unlikely to is called entrapment, and depending on the jurisdiction can get evidence dismissed or even cause the whole case to be thrown out.
* Throughout history, Agent Provocateurs have been sent inside a few social movements with the intent to destroy them and stir up controversy to help discredit the movement. As a result, they are often used as scapegoats when protests turn ugly. Wiki/TheOtherWiki provides a list of proven and suspected cases [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agent_provocateur here]].

* Some people have assumed that Website/{{Tumblr}} has been the targets of these - not because the government wishes to discredit the Social Justice movement(s) prevalent on the site, but because {{Troll}}s are simply bored and want to dismantle the movement(s) by invoking PoesLaw. One ''infamous'' example of this was [=#TakeDown4Chan=], which [[AwakeningTheSleepingGiant went about as well as you would expect]]. It's been both claimed and suspected that the entire farce was started by 4Chan, though [[Administrivia/RuleOfCautiousEditingJudgment lets just leave it at that]].
* In the wake of the 2016 US Presidential election, an investigation (still ongoing) into Russia's use of this trope was opened to determine just how far it reached. Most of these "Troll Farms" utilize social media (e.g. Tumblr and Reddit), while others bought ad-space on Facebook and other, more established sites, but all of them share the same goal of [[AppleOfDiscord sowing discord in whatever ways they can]].

* The film ''Film/{{Matewan}}'', about labor unrest and the formation of a miner's union in 1920s West Virginia, had the Baldwin-Felts Detective Organization engaged in this activity, through [[spoiler: their [[TheMole mole]] in the union]] persuading a young miner to plant a bomb to shut down one of the mines.