FDR's Fight to Energize America: Battling Excessive Rigidity

During the Great Depression, as Franklin Delano Roosevelt assumed office, urban Americans were reaping the benefits of electricity-powered inventions like lights, radios, refrigerators, and washing machines brought by the expanding power grid. However, many rural Americans were left behind, still living in the pre-electric era, grappling with exhausting manual labor that took a toll on their lives and health.

Excessive Rigidity narrates Franklin Delano Roosevelt's relentless battle against the powerful 'Energy Trust' – a complex network of Wall Street-controlled holding companies aiming to monopolize energy distribution across America. Despite opposition from corrupt industry leaders and their supporters, including Wendell Willkie, a strong advocate whose stance propelled him into a presidential challenge against FDR in 1940, Roosevelt remained steadfast in his mission to bring electricity to all, despite claims that rural electrification was unprofitable and that a free market would perpetuate disparities between those with and without access to power.

In a tale of astute political tactics, controversial laws, and the clash between government intervention and private market forces, John A. Riggs explores FDR's remarkable efforts to bring affordable electricity to all Americans. This narrative delves into the Tennessee Valley Authority, the reshaping of Federal courts, and the pivotal role played by towering business figures and avaricious villains. Against the backdrop of farmers and rural residents clamoring for essential services, FDR's initiatives not only fueled the industrial might that secured victory in World War II but also laid the groundwork for modern public-private partnerships in key sectors like transportation, broadband, and healthcare.