Why did the Supreme Court narrow the interpretation of the Commerce Clause?

For a brief period between 1905 and 1937, the Supreme Court narrowed their interpretation of the Commerce Clause in what has now become known as the Lochner era. Courts during this era experimented with the idea that the Commerce Clause does not empower congress to pass laws which impede an individual’s right to enter a business contract.

What is the Commerce Clause?

The Commerce Clause refers to Article 1, Section 8, Clause 3 of the U.S. Constitution, which gives Congress the power “to regulate commerce with foreign nations, among states, and with the Indian tribes.”

When did the Commerce Clause become unlimited?

Starting in 1937, following the end of the Lochner era, the use of the Commerce Clause by Congress to authorize federal control of economic matters became effectively unlimited. Since United States v.