Consent of the governed is a phrase that emphasizes the fundamental principle of democracy, which is that government authority must come from the people. There are several synonyms that convey the same idea, including popular sovereignty, democracy, self-government, and representative government. Popular sovereignty refers to the idea that the people have the ultimate power to govern themselves. Democracy means that the people have the right to vote on issues that affect their lives. Self-government is the right of citizens to govern themselves in a fair and just manner. Representative government means that the people elect representatives who will govern on their behalf. Regardless of the term used, the consent of the governed is crucial to the functioning of a healthy democracy.