西方社會政治的理想是民主政治制度的實現。至其歷史的淵源，當可回溯至古希臘雅典城邦的民主政治經驗。然而，由於歷史的嬗變、社會文化的演進、雅典式的民主政治制度曾經為之中斷。一直要到十八世紀民主思想的浪潮，始再度出現於西方政治的舞台上，終於演變成為近世民主國家誕生的催化劑。 　　教育為政治理想實現的一種手段。從西方近代民主國家歷史上論，尤其是美國，美美以全民教育之推展，做為民主政治制度的磐石。故有識之士，未嘗忽略教育與民主密切之關係也。 　　本研究主為歷史研究方法之應用，以近代美國教育與民主思潮之結合為經，並以民主思潮之發軔為緯，探求民主思想之淵源、意義、條件、民主與教育的關係，民主思潮的哲學基礎及民本主義教育之思想。最後提出一結論作為本研究之結束。

Generally speaking, democracy has already become a common model of political development in most countries both in the Wast and in the East. This paper is a study trying to find out what the relationship between democracy and education should be from an educational point of view. Particularly the impact of the belief of democracy on educational theories is mentioned here. Next the concept of democracy in Western literature is discussed from the basis of historical facts. Then the meanings of democracy are presented based on various assumptions which several distinguished educators have firmly believed. Besides, the theory postulated by some educators such as John-Dewey (1859 -1952) that education is an adequate means to achieve the ideal way of life in a democratic society is introduced. Therefore, a close relationship between democracy and education can be established. In the last part of this study there is a brief conclusion dealing with the author's opinions about all this.