In May, 2008, a Round Table was carried out at the Institute of Philosophy, RAS. In the discussion took part well-known Russian political philosophers, political scientists and sociologists A.A.Gusseynov, I.K.Pantin, V.T.Tretyakov, A.G.Glinchikova, A.A.Kara-Murza, T.A.Alekseyeva, A.V.Shubin, B.Yu.Kagarlitzky, S.L.Chizhkov, P.M.Kudyukin, I.M.Klyamkin, V.L.Tzymbursky, A.G.Sytin, M.M.Fyodorova, G.G.Vodolazov, V.I.Pantin, as well as their German collegue E.Altvater. The problems discussed referred to the understanding of the content of democracy, to the diversity of its models and to their correlation with real historical practice, to specific character and prospects of the democratic process in Russia.