Why can the meaning of a constitution change even when its wording stays the same?

The meaning of a constitution can evolve even when its text remains unchanged primarily because formal provisions are subject to ongoing interpretation by courts, the legislature, the executive, and other institutional actors.1

This adaptation occurs for several reasons:

• Interpretive Flexibility: Because constitutional language is often brief or ambiguous, it can be adapted to address changing historical circumstances and contemporary needs. Courts may refine or clarify philosophical ideals, translating them into working principles for the present.23
• Shifting Political Values: A nation's "material constitution"—the fundamental political values held by the dominant forces in a community—can change over time. As these societal attitudes evolve, the application and scope of constitutional rules often shift to reflect new viewpoints.1
• Institutional Influence: The interpretative outlook of a judiciary can change through the appointment of new judges or justices, and institutions may reverse previous rulings.4
• Supplementation: Written constitutions are never exhaustive; they are supplemented by statutes, judicial doctrines, intergovernmental practices, and the actions of nongovernmental institutions like political parties, all of which shape how the constitution functions in practice.1