This essay, according to a theoretical framework by Ramsay (1997), considers participation in a
specific context. Changes in the context determine cycles of participation with very different outcomes. The essay
will first analyze the role of the broader democratic framework in modern society and the role of conflict. The
concepts so highlighted will be applied to two Italian case studies, as a way to illustrate Ramsay's hypothesis in
two different cycles of participation: the positive cycle from 1968 to 1974, and the negative one in the 1980s.
Then the main changes in the socio-economic and political context in Europe will be considered. Based on the
lessons learned, an alternative path to participation will be sketched.
