In 2022, Greece celebrated the
bicentennial of the first revolutionary Constitution. Throughout the Greek
revolution, three constitutional texts were put into effect, culminating in the
establishment of the First Hellenic Republic. This article delves into the
legal aspects of revolutionary constitutions, examining the ongoing struggle
between tradition and modernity. The central argument posits that the
revolutionary constitutions found themselves entangled in a tug-of-war between
the traditional and modern conceptions of early constitutionalism, between
Monarchies and Republics.
An intriguing insight emerges when we investigate primary sources. The position of the Great Powers is conspicuously reflected in Annex F of the Protocol of the Conference held on the island of Poros in September 1828. The minutes of the discussions among the representatives of the Great Powers explicitly reveal a skepticism towards the modern model of Republics. Simultaneously, there’s an expressed belief that only the traditional model of government, rooted in monarchy, could thrive, given the Greeks’ demonstrated weakness in managing political conflicts during the First Greek Republic.
European Public Law