Researcher ORCID Identifier
https://orcid.org/0009-0004-8718-1613
Graduation Year
2024
Date of Submission
4-2024
Document Type
Campus Only Senior Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts
Department
Government
Reader 1
James Nichols
Terms of Use & License Information
Rights Information
© 2024 Belinda L Gorsuch
Abstract
The goal of the paper is to evaluate the effectiveness of Article V of the U.S. Constitution in balancing continuity and adaptability within the framework of American governance.The study finds that the U.S. Constitution, with only 27 amendments over more than two centuries, is exceptionally rigid compared to other nations' constitutions. This rigidity has contributed to stability but also to a lack of responsiveness to modern socio-economic challenges, where other countries have been more adaptable. Through case studies like Roe v. Wade, the paper discusses how judicial review has often served as a de facto method for constitutional change in the U.S., expanding or contracting rights in ways that the formal amendment process has not addressed. The paper considers the South African and USSR Constitutions to understand how different approaches to constitutional amendments impact the rights and liberties of the populace. The findings suggest that the balance Article V achieves between stability and change works well despite its drawbacks.
Recommended Citation
Gorsuch, Belinda L., "Efficacy of Article V" (2024). CMC Senior Theses. 3692.
https://scholarship.claremont.edu/cmc_theses/3692
This thesis is restricted to the Claremont Colleges current faculty, students, and staff.
