Abstract
<jats:p>The formation of democratic culture is considered one of the main challenges of contemporary social science. Democracy is understood not only as an institutional system but also as a process that requires active citizen participation, critical thinking, value orientation, and social responsibility. Education plays a decisive role in sustaining democracy by fostering both professional skills and civic competences essential for meaningful engagement in public life. The article examines theoretical approaches to the relationship between education and democracy as developed in the works of J. Dewey, P. Freire, R. Dahl, J. Habermas, M. Nussbaum, A. Sen, B. Barber, H. Jenkins, É. Balibar, G. Biesta, D. Allen, A. Gutmann, D. Held, and M. Levinson. The analysis highlights the importance of promoting critical thinking, communicative and civic competences, as well as the values of social justice and solidarity within democratic education.</jats:p>