📚 The Role of Interpretation: Who Decides What the Constitution Means?
The Constitution is not a self-executing document. It doesn’t enforce itself, explain itself, or evolve on its own. Its power lies in interpretation—how courts, scholars, lawmakers, and citizens read and apply its words across time. But interpretation is never neutral. It reflects values, fears, and aspirations. And when extremist movements claim to know the “true” meaning of the Constitution—often without historical context or legal grounding—they risk turning a living document into a rigid ideology. 🧠Originalism vs. Living Constitution Two dominant schools of thought shape constitutional interpretation: Originalism : The idea that the Constitution should be interpreted based on its original meaning at the time it was written. Living Constitution : The belief that the Constitution evolves with society, and its meaning must adapt to contemporary realities. Both approaches have merit—and tension. But extremism often distorts originalism into dogma, ignoring centuries of ...