A Comparative Overview on the European Microstates Constitutionalism

The European microstates offer a notable lesson for both constitutional law and, generally speaking, the theory of state. The article analyzes this typology of state with a comparative method about constitutionalism of them. Indeed, in the 19th century, the concept of state was related, according to these disciplines and Hegel’s thought, not only to power, i.e. state power itself but also to “outward power”, that is authority at the international level. It is well known that our understanding of state power has changed since then. But, if a key factor in guaranteeing independence at the international level occurred to be might rather than power, something microstates are not familiar with. The result of the contribution is that European microstates teach us a precious lesson: the state is not only a question of power but also of might, the last one understood as the power to perform at the international level.