Democracy is a form of government in which the rulers are elected by the people. It is the most prevalent form of government in the world today and is expanding to more countries. The idea of democracy derives its moral strength from two key principles: individual autonomy and the idea that no one should be subject to rules imposed by others. Democracy is popular sovereignty, which means "government of the people, by the people, for the people". The key feature of democracy is that the government is chosen by the people. In a democracy, laws, policies, leadership, and major undertakings of a state or other polity are directly or indirectly decided by the people. Democracy is better understood as something that we can always have more or less of, rather than something that either is or is not. The importance of democracy lies in the fact that it provides a mechanism for some form of rule by proportionate representation, which is essential for the protection of human rights and the rule of law.