The main constitutions with which medieval and modern Europe has experimented in the search for the best form of government are surveyed: most of them have now been relegated to the museum of legal antiques. However, constitutionalism and parliamentarianism proved to be permanent and are still highly valued acquisitions. The merits of a written constitution are discussed. This is followed by a presentation of the role of the nation state and its present embattled status. Can the past tell us what the best form of government is and, on the basis of the ‘Weber-thesis’, is there a link between political freedom and economic prosperity? The American controversy on capital punishment shows how the interpretation of the Constitution by the judicature can be a matter of life and death.