Most current global problems emanate from the exploitation of the majority of the people, the environment and the economic system by a few. Democracy is now commonly recognized as the only vehicle for realizing a sustainable society. Democracy is however often improperly structured in both developed and developing nations, which leads to exploitation of (1) the poor nations by the rich nations, and (2) the poor by the rich in all nations. Exploitation in governments other than democracies is much higher. So long as such exploitation continues in any nation, social conflict and environmental degradation will continue to plague the world. For preventing exploitation and promoting global sustainability, we need to understand the true meaning of democracy. Even more important, we need to evolve a process for realizing it.