The Legal Framework & Boundaries for Government Coercing Private Business

As the title asks, what is the legal framework in relation to government coercing private business and where are the boundaries, if any?

I’ve been mulling this topic in response to Federal, state and local rules and regulations that require, for example, the shuttering of “non-essential” business, imposing fines on businesses that do not enforce mask mandates, and, most recently, the possibility of the State requiring businesses to impose vaccination requirements as a condition of employment.

And, honestly, I haven’t been able to get very far. The topic is far too complicated to get sorted out in one poli-board thread, but input from anyone with insight or a link(s) to some written authority would be greatly appreciated. I’d like to advance my thinking.

Most private businesses exist as a function of state law. Others, such as your local Federal credit union, are the creation of Federal law. In general, a business is authorized to engage in lawful commerce and to sue/be sued. Businesses also have the right to contribute to political campaigns. Depending on the business a whole host of obligations also exist, such as paying income withholding, worker’s compensation, etc.

There is also a broad spectrum of business types, from the sole proprietor operating with a business license to multinational publically traded companies.

At the Federal level the outermost boundary seems to be Wickard, which permits the regulation of intrastate commerce when related to a broader Federal regulatory scheme. At the state level, though, I’m not aware of any restriction on government to define and regulate private business however the legislature/city council sees fit.

Is there a liberty right to engage in your own livelihood? And, if so, where is that written?

About the only arguable inroad I’ve come up with is that a sole proprietor would be more advantaged to resist government coercion because they are legally operating as an individual, and therefore could defend upon a basis of individual rights vis-à-vis government action, as opposed to a business entity which seemingly exists at the pleasure of the State.

I know that one remedy is the ballot box, but I’m concerned that the socialists have figured out that instead of having government implement authoritarian policies directly on the citizen they can simply use the levers of government power to enact/enforce policy on the citizen via private business.