Conditions of children's political socialisation and education have more than ever in the last 40 years to deal with questions of social inclusion and exclusion. This is a result of social cleavages which are pertinent for children's lives and experiences. This article deals with this question while favouring an approach which shows that a strengthening of children's rights--based on an emancipatory concept of politics of childhood--could support the struggle against these cleavages in the interest of establishing a really democratic society. A central starting point for an improvement of the situation of all children could be a new connection between communal life and childhood policies. Therefore the article shows different approaches which work on this level and argues for their generalisation. When the future of mankind is at stake, only a democratisation of society/ies--based on enlisting the competencies of all citizens (including children )--can be useful. This is the major challenge for political education. (Contains 15 notes.)