This article investigates whether engagement in school or university, such as being the speaker of class, a member of a student council, and so on, has an impact on political participation and political trust. Following interactionist socialization theory, engagement during adolescence should develop ideas of citizenship, democracy, and political participation. Schools and universities are arguably key institutions as they can promote democratic decision making in the classroom. This strengthens democracy by increasing experienced political efficacy and through internalizing democratic principles (‘learning democracy’): by acting democratic, one becomes a democratic citizen. My findings show that respondents who experienced democracy in school or university indeed tend to vote and engage even in contentious forms of political participation more often. Also, the experience of democratic practices in school and university increases trust in political institutions. Moreover, trust in political institutions, in turn, increases the likelihood of voting, but not of engaging in other forms of participation. Thus, early democratic experiences seem to foster vivid and participatory democracy without streamlining people into passive participation. The article provides empirical evidence from nine European countries and an additional glance at young cohorts based on online panels.

本文调查在学校或大学中的参与（例如，作为班级的演讲者，学生会的成员等）是否会对政治参与和政治信任产生影响。遵循互动主义社会化理论，青春期的参与应该发展公民意识，民主和政治参与的观念。学校和大学可以说是关键机构，因为它们可以促进课堂上的民主决策。这通过提高经验丰富的政治效力和内部民主原则（“学习民主”）来加强民主：通过实行民主，一个人就可以成为民主公民。我的发现表明，在学校或大学中经历过民主的受访者确实倾向于投票，甚至更经常地参与有争议的政治参与形式。此外，学校和大学中民主实践的经验也增加了对政治机构的信任。此外，对政治机构的信任反过来增加了投票的可能性，但没有参与其他形式的参与的可能性。因此，早期的民主经历似乎在不使人们精简为被动参与的情况下促进了生动和参与性的民主。这篇文章提供了来自9个欧洲国家的经验证据，并基于在线专家组进一步介绍了年轻的人群。对政治机构的信任反过来增加了投票的可能性，但没有参与其他形式的参与的可能性。因此，早期的民主经历似乎在不使人们精简为被动参与的情况下促进了生动和参与性的民主。这篇文章提供了来自9个欧洲国家的经验证据，并基于在线专家组进一步介绍了年轻的人群。对政治机构的信任反过来增加了投票的可能性，但没有参与其他形式的参与的可能性。因此，早期的民主经历似乎在不使人们精简为被动参与的情况下促进了生动和参与性的民主。这篇文章提供了来自9个欧洲国家的经验证据，并基于在线专家组进一步介绍了年轻的人群。