This article verifies the variations in the attitudinal predispositions of Porto Alegre regarding democracy between the years 1968-2013. To this end, empirical indicators were used regarding people's perception of elections, parties and political institutions. The hypothesis is that there was a democratic maturation in the procedural sphere, which, however, did not generate a citizen political culture focused on the participation and increase of the stocks of social capital. The results show that there is no trend towards political participation on the part of the interviewees and there is a strong appreciation of the personal vote. Another characteristic is the respondents' lack of trust in political institutions (municipal, state and federal). Considering this, this paper analyzes