Flexible Constitution

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On September 15, 2000, at the ceremony that revealed page two of the constitution, author and specialist in United States presidency, Michael Beschloss, stated that “the framers [of the constitution] gave us a document durable and flexible enough to take us from the agrarian land of the 18th century, of the musket, the axe and the plow to the country we know today, of the Internet and the human genome and a thousand different cultures living together in one nation like a glittering mosaic”. The United States’ constitution, written in 1787 and amended twenty-seven times, has survived so long due to its flexibility, strong principles, and adaptability. However, state constitutions are much more detailed, and are typically longer in length and…show more content…
However, this allows flexible constitutions to thrive by allowing future generations to interpret and determine their own government rather than remaining the same as previous generations who had different mentalities. Another justification for detailed constitutions argues that many detailed constitutions do not need alterations or amendments as often as flexible constitutions. When looking at the United States, state constitutions are not only much longer than the U.S. constitution but also have more amendments and multiple versions of the state constitution. When arguing for a detailed constitution, proponents focus on longevity and equate it to the stability of a government that withstands tyranny and dictatorship. For instance, India’s constitution, ratified in 1950, is the longest in the world at 117,000 words, and is used as a prime example of longevity and stability (Galer). However, there have been numerous cases of corruption found within India’s parliament such as bribery, police brutality, and black market deals. The Mexican constitution of 1917 is also seen as a model constitution that has withstood dictatorship and tyranny. However, it can be argued that the main responsibility of a constitution is to protect rights of the people and determine how a government does so by dictating what parts of government have what power. Although Mexico’s constitution has lasted almost a century, the constitution failed to provide a stable government that provides benefits to its citizens and protects individual rights. Proponents of rigid constitutions also argue that a more detailed constitution allows for the protection of the liberties of citizens take advantage of. However, this can also be done with flexible constitutions for an open interpretation of the American constitution allowed for freedoms

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