S1E21 Inside Lochner v. New York: Work, Rights, and the Constitution [VIDEO]

The case of Lochner v. New York is widely considered a landmark in Supreme Court history, one which kicked off an era of aggressive adherence to business interest protections and wealth accumulation during the Gilded Age of the robberbaron. This case kicked off the so-called Lochner or Lochnerian Era, which lasted about 30 years until the political atmosphere of the Great Depression prompted the court to reverse its stance on labor protections in West Coast Hotel v. Parrish, a detour that SCOTUS has stuck with in all proceeding rulings to this day — but the truth of the modern labor law landscape is not as black and white. Support our work, find our links, and join our community!Sources:Lochner v. New YorkWest Coast Hotel v. ParrishThe JungleBakeshop Act of 1895Tenement buildingsBritannicawith many working over 100 hours a weekLabor activists stumped Opponents of laws like the Bakehouse Actalmost $1,900Lochner’s teamargued Due process was, historicallysubstantive due processSubstantive due processmade only three brief pointsSCOTUS sided with Lochnerrecognized this freedomHolden v. Hardya rallying cry for the Progressive movementprofessor of law at the University of Chicagodescribes this period Adkins v. Children’s Hospital of D.C.ruled in favor of the hospitalalso arguedMuller v. OregonColumbia Undergraduate Law ReviewWest Coast Hotel Company v. Parrisha plan to expand and pack the courthotel maid in Washingtonthe court ruledOyezeconomic due process, that business owners were protected by the Fourteenth AmendmentEqual Protection Rights under the Fourteenth AmendmentHariharan in the Columbia Undergraduate Law Reviewdisregard the imbalance of bargaining powerlaid out in the Economic Policy Institute as detailed here by the Illinois Law ReviewEpic Systems v. LewisWal-Mart Stores Inc v. DukesGross v. FBL Financial Services, Inc.Vance v. Ball State UniversityJanus v. American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, Council 31GWP is a Hemmat Interactive, Inc. production.