Political Integration through Constitutional Memory?

This chapter builds on the assumption that constitutional references to the historical constitution can contribute to the community building process in Hungary. While this assumption itself might be contended, this paper puts aside the question of whether the Hungarian historical constitution could be revived in legal terms or whether it could have legally binding force in any way. Instead, it will approach the question from a non-legalistic point of view and consider whether references to the Hungarian historical constitution might be useful and desirable from the perspective of community building. To put it briefly, this chapter contends that it might be useful and desirable but only under certain circumstances. Unfortunately, whether these conditions prevail can only be established retrospectively.