The Government Imposes Regulations
In the late 19th century, the federal government started to regulate various aspects of American businesses. One of the first regulatory bodies was the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC), which was established in 1887. The ICC was responsible for monitoring rates and traffic of railroads that operated across state lines. However, it did not have the authority to create laws or control the railroads' transactions. Nevertheless, the ICC had the power to demand that railroads submit their records to Congress, enabling Congress to initiate investigations into any unfair practices.
As time went on, the government created several other federal bodies to regulate different sectors of the American economy. Additionally, the federal government gradually became involved in regulating trusts. In 1890, the Sherman Antitrust Act was passed by the Senate. This act made it illegal for any trust to operate in a way that restrained trade or commerce among the states. Initially, this provision was rarely enforced, and the law was often used in favor of corporations. They argued that labor unions were the ones restraining trade. However, both the ICC and the Sherman Antitrust Act marked the beginning of a trend towards federal limitations on the power of corporations.
Checkpoint: How did the federal government regulate business?