A Sunday Times feature focuses on a striking claim about American government: in the United States, meaningful constitutional change now happens mainly through the Supreme Court rather than through the formal amendment process. The argument points to the court’s outsized role in shaping how the Constitution is understood and applied in modern political life.
The article centers on Jill Lepore, the Harvard professor and New Yorker staff writer known for linking history, culture and power in her work. The description notes that she has examined very different origin stories, including those of Wonder Woman and Elon Musk, suggesting a broader interest in how national myths and influential figures help explain the country’s institutions.
Seen through that lens, the Supreme Court is presented not simply as a legal body but as a major engine of political change in the US. When constitutional meaning is redefined by rulings instead of amendments, the balance of power shifts toward judges and away from the slower, more public process written into the nation’s founding framework.
The result is a debate that goes beyond law alone. It raises questions about democracy, legitimacy and who really drives change in America when the Constitution evolves in practice without being formally rewritten.
