Throughout history, and since people lived in caves and worked as hunter-gatherers, a number of systems were adopted by different societies in order to govern themselves. Some forms of governance disappeared altogether due to their inherent flaws; others that survived were modified and implemented in practice. However, one of the forms of the government has always remained and is practiced or preferred by the majority of humanity. It is called democracy. It is preferred over all other forms of government due to its exalted values. These include equality, justice, rule of law, protection of individual rights and freedoms, and above all, transparency and accountability. When these values are not upheld, democracy starts faltering. Erosion of these values leads to issues of authoritarianism, social unrest, polarization, and societal inequality. Free and fair elections are a unique aspect of democracy as they pave the way for people to elect their representatives. When transparency and accountability disappear, elections are rigged and compromised, although both processes have causal link. When law is used discriminately and people do not have access to swift and fair justice system, the masses start revolting, shaking the foundations of democracy. This gives non-democratic forces and non-state actors an opportunity for takeover. The fall of Bashar ul Assad in Syria last year is a stark example in this regard. Although Syria was basically democratic prima facie, erosion of democratic norms and values led to the ouster of president Assad. Due to rise of populism, democracies worldwide have faced setbacks but it is necessary to consolidate the values for which once India and the United States were praised. Among all the worst forms of government, democracy is the best. Hence, democratic values must be upheld in all situations to preserve democracy.