By devolving power gradually, city by city, the government has overcome the objections of civil servants that local councils cannot be trusted with freedom.
This week marks the fifth anniversary of the start of the Syrian war, a conflict that began as a peaceful revolt but gradually devolved into horrible bloodshed.
Through a series of constitutional amendments, all of them approved by the opposition, Mr. Zardari has gradually devolved power to the provinces, reduced his presidential powers and made the electoral process more transparent.
But because lawmakers in the House and Senate had each identified different parts of the package as crucial, the debate gradually devolved into a question of which chamber would have its way, reaching an acrimonious end in the final half-hour before the legally mandated adjournment at midnight.
The term "alt-lit" has gradually devolved into meaninglessness, much like the term "indie music".
But invariance to these signals gradually devolves over time, over the next 100 or so milliseconds.
During grade school, Wade moved across town to live with Dwyane Sr. and his fiancée, Bessie McDaniel, whose relationship would gradually devolve into shouting matches that Wade said he suffered in silence.
Network Rail will begin to see its grip on the UK's rail network loosened from this Tuesday, when Transport Secretary Chris Grayling will announce a plan to gradually devolve some of Network Rail's powers to private companies.
What begins as a graphic, muckier horror game gradually devolves into familiar VHS tawdriness.
However when the original spiritual teachings gradually devolve into jumbled creeds, the respect for the individual and spiritual principles fade.
