Twenty-seven amendments to the Constitution is not a very large number. Why have there been so few amendments?

Question

Twenty-seven amendments to the Constitution is not a very large number. Why have there been so few amendments?

Answer 1

The founding fathers made it so difficult to amend the Constitution for fear of tyranny of the majority.  If it weren't so difficult, you'd expose the Constitution and the government to greater instability.

Answer 2

The Founders made it difficult to amend on purpose so that it wasn't frivolously changed based on fashion and currently popular ideas that might not stand the test of time.

Look at the history of Prohibition if you need any proof of that.

It was passed and then had to be removed when it proved unworkable.

Most good ideas can be implemented within the framework of the Constitution and Bill of Rights themselves.  It might take time and effort but the original document has proved itself to be an excellent and remarkable blueprint for a great democracy.

There are dozens of countries around the world that have modeled their constitutions on ours.

Answer 3

If it was easy to get an amendment passed, we'd probably be looking at a few horrible ones passed on a whim. Like someone had said previously, majority rule is incredibly tyrannic.

Answer 4

That's how great our Constitution is. It has only needed amending 17 times.

Answer 5

our constitution doesn't need a lot of amendments. we're not supposed to amend it for special interest groups.  the constitution was well written and is pretty hard to misinterpret altho it seems to have been done a few times.

Answer 6

Some things are so close to perfection, they rarely need to be changed or amended.  Besides that, remember, the Constitution is ONLY about the federal government.

Answer 7

It is a lot easier for Washington to pretend it doesn't exist, than to add Amendments.

Answer 8

Because its difficult to attach a new amendment. You have to get 2/3s  of the states to agree to the amendment and the populace of that state have to vote agreement. (This is what stopped the ERA, not enough states)

Answer 9

Because they are very difficult to pass.

Answer 10

They're hard to pass and they need a reason to be made.