California: America's High-Stakes Experiment

by Peter Schrag

Peter Schrag takes on the big issues—immigration, globalization, and the impact of California’s politics on its quality of life—in this dynamic account of the Golden State’s struggle to recapture the American dream. In the past half-century, California has been both model and anti-model for the nation and often the world, first in its high level of government and public services—schools, universities, highways—more lately for its dysfunctional government, deteriorating services, and sometimes regressive public policies. Schrag’s incisive analysis of the state’s political, demographic, and fiscal realities vividly demonstrates that it has been struggling with a range of problems for a generation. The author deftly shows that California’s ability to forge its culturally and ethnically diverse population into a successful democracy will be of crucial importance not only to America, but to the world. He also explains how many current "solutions" exacerbate the very problems they're supposed to solve and analyzes a variety of possible state and federal policy alternatives to restore accountable government and a vital democracy to the nation's largest state and world's fifth largest economy.

Among the issues that Schrag

* The impact of Latino and Asian immigration and the emergence of California as the first large majority minority state

* The globalization of California’s economy and culture

* The growing reliance of voters on the initiative, referendum, and recall processes

* The increasing instability of elected government

* California as cultural avant-garde, from hippies to gay marriage

Genres: Politics, History

341 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2006

Reviews

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. Every Californian who votes should read this book. I was enlightened.

[Ashley Clark · Rating 2 out of 5]

I would give this 2.5 stars if I could. This was a re-read for me, but I had read it so long ago I forgot most of it. This is a good primer on some California politics stuff, as well as the dysfunction of the government. The general thesis is that Californian's stop wanting public services as soon as outsiders (ie brown people) started using them. But it is a bit more complicated than that. Anyways, a good primer with a lot of interesting stuff about the recalls and the Schwarzenegger election.

The most interesting part of this book was the recall section, not because of the author but because of the parallels with the current election. Schwarzenegger ran on the idea that he was "too rich to be bought by special interests," he was an outsider, and that he just "spoke the truth." Also when all his stuff about sexual assault and terrible language around women came up, he passed it off as "rowdy movie-set talk." It caused his polls to dip, but then they went back up because America is sexist.

[Rob · Rating 1 out of 5]

This books does not back up anything it says. It also implies that everyone leaving California are racists who oppose changes to help minorities. This book is complete drivel. Read this if you believe everything that you read in the newspaper. Clearly, this man is high on himself. Facts to support his argument instead of outright attacks on the people he doesn't like might help. I wouldn't suggest this book but hey if you're a statist have at it. You won't learn anything but you sure as heck will feel vindicated.

[Octavio · Rating 4 out of 5]

not the most hopeful book. though it did make me proud to be a native californian and realize that organizing work here's just as important as anywhere else. ended a bit cynically, but apparently not as bad as his earlier book. highly recommended if you're interested in california and it's future as a highly-diverse state, and lessons it teaches the u.s. and the world from its successes and blunders.

[Shoshanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the best book i read on understanding the basics of how California is the way it is. Anyone moving to Ca or wanting to understand our history should give this one a good read.

[June · Rating 2 out of 5]

California politics...the first part is a bit dry, but it gets interesting when Arnold (goose) steps in.

[Tyler · Rating 2 out of 5]

I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/13101403