Customer Reviews

Transforming California: A Political History of Land Use and Development

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I am not sure that the above reviewer actually read the book.

The book demonstrates very clearly how the moneyed interests used progressivism to remove the voters from the important decisions that are made in formation of the business and land use climate in California. We should be able to throw the rascals out and all we can do is pass nutball initiaives.

Do you know that the socialist party eventually merged with the REPBULICANS? Do you know that the state is essentially controlled by unelected trade associations? Do you know that those associations are run for the benefit of their associate members?

For example; farm policy in California is vastly influenced by the California Farm Bureau, but this organization is basically controlled by vendors to farmers (banks, shippers etc) and not farmers. The same pattern follows for the California Association of Realtors and many other organizations that promote themselves as functioning for the general welfare of Californians while gouging their members for the benefit of their assoicate members.

The whole patten of corporate welfare has it's roots in California land use policy development.

Rural California is the environment that nurtured Richard Nixon during his formative years. What we have in this lovely but weird place is business oriented REPUBLICAN SOCIALISM. Don't miss this book, you will never see the world in quite the same way after you read it.

If you are a student of California history, politics and economic development and you cannot afford the time or the cash to take a semester's course, then I recommend Transforming California by Stephanie Pincetl.

Dr. Pincetl is an Adjunct Professor at UCLA's Institute for the Environment. Her book goes along way to explaining the political mess that we find ourselves in today. It also teaches a great deal about the evolution of land, water, and energy use in our state. It suggests that the major water issue in our state in not supply, but the methods used to allocate this resource ... who is to decide and what formulas will be used.

An extremely important book!! This book is a study of the political history of land use and URBANISATION IN CALIFORNIA COVERING THE LAST 100 HUNDRED YEARS.This an extremely well written and usefull book.