Final answer:
Attempts at constitutional change in Texas during the 1970s were defeated due to political opposition and strategic actions taken by minority parties to raise transaction costs and prevent the passage of proposed amendments.
Step-by-step explanation:
Attempts at constitutional change in Texas were defeated during the 1970s due to political opposition and the strategies used by minority parties. In the case of voting rights, the Democratic minority in Texas sought to increase the costs of passing legislation by fleeing the state capitol and depriving the majority of a quorum.
Similarly, in Washington, DC, Republican minority members used procedural roadblocks to stall measures to expand voting rights. By raising transaction costs, these minority parties were able to prevent constitutional changes from being made. Ultimately, the restrictions on voting rights were approved in Texas after the Democratic minority returned to the state capital to vote.