Democracy, who has it? Why is it important?

Democracy, why is it wanted? Why is it important?
  
 You and the world is a project based on the issues of the world and how they relate to a student. In english class we were asked to focus on an issue that people around the world care about. For this project, I chose democracy, it is something that people have been fighting for for hundreds of years and it has made the headlines several times in the past 5 months.

    I'm interested in Democracy around the world because I dream of a Free world. Of course there isn't really a true form of "freedom" but when I hear of certain countries and how they have limitations that people in America may not have, it makes me angry.

    In my research, I have discovered that since 1999 democratic progress around the world has been made. Especially in places like Latin America. I also learned that some countries don't really mind living in dictatorship, they don't know any other way and are afraid of standing up for a change.

    I wonder if people of certain countries were shown a different way of government, would they stand up and try to make a change. Are people not tired of being told what to do?

    My plan is to single out a few countries and research the type of government they have right now. Then I will list the pros and cons.

Bibliography-
http://www.wmd.org/about/current-challenges/current-challenges-democracy
http://www.loc.gov/bicentennial/symposia_democracy.html