Abstract

This contribution explores how German-speaking didacticians of civic education interrelate democracy and the goals of their discipline. It investigates whether authors believe civic education has a function in relation to a democracy that does not need to be questioned or whether they regard the ability to challenge what democracy has achieved for society as an expression of political competence. Discussion reveals that the representatives of civic education situate themselves within theories seeking to develop democracy in-depth, that is, beyond purely formal expressions. They consider their task one of enabling the political maturity of citizens. Mature citizens are able to make political judgments and to take political action, have a deeper understanding of politics, and are able to define and to apply suitable methods for pursuing political interests and values. Didacticians regard promoting maturity thus defined as a fundamental contribution to substantive democracy. This contribution also shows that most didacticians reject values education in favour of a rational engagement with values, even if this preference keeps sparking discussion.