Democratic competence and the fostering of democracy skills in vocational education and training

Voluntary commitment on the part of citizens is the lifeblood of democratic societies. This requires autonomy of action, thought and judgement. The traditional term used in this regard is “majority”. Majority refers to the individual ability of members of society to lead an enlightened, responsible and self-determined life. However, this definition does not cover the question as to which particular competencies are necessary in order to assume political participation rights in democratic societies. The following article provides answers. Backgrounds to debates and selected concepts of democratic action competence since the 1990s are presented for this purpose. This then forms the basis for outlining the possibilities for the promotion of democracy skills in VET.