The paper will trace conceptual contestation and change surrounding democracy since WWII to present. Since the end of WWII, democracy becomes universally accepted as the only legitimate form of government and the definition of democracy becomes of utmost importance in the ideological battles between the East and the West. Therefore, the “minimalist”, “realist” and “empirical” understanding of democracy as free competition for power becomes dominant. The student movements of the 60ies and the normative turn in political theory challenge this understanding and develop the concept of participatory and deliberative democracy. The end of the Cold War leaves democratic theory without a challenger and without conceptual innovations. The most recent, post 2008 austerity period, is an opportunity to give democracy a new content, but a conceptual innovation is still uncertain. In conclusion, democracy’s contested nature will be confirmed and specified as dependent on context and opportunities for a successful political use.
