A cornerstone principle of Wikipedia is that anyone can edit – users are highly encouraged to be bold but not reckless in editing articles, and to ignore any rules that prevent them from improving the encyclopedia. However, as in any project where people dedicate large portions of their time, the tricky problem arises that some long-term contributors may begin to feel a sense of entitlement and superiority over less prolific editors.

Our prolific contributors have been called the most valuable piece of this project^[1] and deserve recognition and commendation from the community. However, the existence of vested contributors can often lead to grave problems that are detrimental to the community. Double standards of conduct may develop, disillusioning and demoralizing users. Vested contributors may be backed by other members of the community, sometimes growing into a clique of affiliated editors who tend to mutually reinforce each other – the oft-maligned "cabal". A prevalence of this attitude can lead to a breakdown in the growth and development of the project.

Editors are reminded that they are working in an environment of peers; an atmosphere of mutual respect for each other's work should be promoted.

• Wikipedia:Page ownership policy
• Wikipedia:Adminitis
• Wikipedia:Equality
• Wikipedia:Requests for arbitration/Durova#Vested Contributors
• Wikipedia:There is no Divine Right of Editors
• Wikipedia:You are not irreplaceable
• meatball:VestedContributor