Which Supreme Court case upheld the Granger laws in 1876?

The Supreme Court case that upheld the Granger laws in 1876 is Munn v. Illinois. This landmark decision affirmed the authority of states to regulate private industries that affect the public interest, particularly in the context of grain storage and transportation. The Granger laws, enacted in response to unfair pricing practices by railroads and grain elevator operators, sought to ensure fair rates and practices in the transportation and storage of agricultural products.

In Munn v. Illinois, the Court ruled that states could regulate businesses that are "affected with a public interest." This was significant because it established a precedent for state involvement in regulating industries deemed essential to the public welfare. The ruling supported the Granger movement's goals by affirming state powers to control rates and ensure fairness in a rapidly industrializing economy, which was increasingly viewed as being dominated by monopolies and unfair business practices. The decision was a crucial step in the evolution of government regulation of private enterprise in the United States.