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Richard A. Walker is Professor Emeritus of Geography at the University of California, Berkeley. He has written on a diverse range of topics in geography. His books include The Capitalist Imperative (1989), The New Social Economy (1992), The Conquest of Bread (2004), and The Country in the City (2007). He is currently working on books on the history and geography of the Bay Area and the political economy of California. Suresh K. Lodha is Professor of Computer Science at the University of California, Santa Cruz. He is interested in curating, analyzing, and visualizing data for personal empowerment, public policy, and social change. He is a coauthor of The Atlas of Global Inequalities and has published more than 100 articles in journals and in conference proceedings.
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“Unique and uniquely beautiful. . . . A single map here tells us more about the world today than a dozen abstracts or scholarly tomes.” — Los Angeles Times “A striking new approach to cartography. . . . No one wishing to keep a grip on the reality of the world should be without these books.” — International Herald Tribune
The Atlas of
CALIFORNIA
MAPPING THE CHALLENGES OF A NEW ERA
Richard A. Walker and Suresh K. Lodha
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PRESS
University of California Press, one of the most distinguished university presses in the United States, enriches lives around the world by advancing scholarship in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. Its activities are supported by the UC Press Foundation and by philanthropic contributions from individuals and institutions. For more information, visit www.ucpress.edu. University of California Press Oakland, California Copyright © Myriad Editions Limited 2013 All rights reserved The moral rights of the authors have been asserted Library of Congress Control Number: 2013939442 ISBN: 978-0-520-27202-6 (pbk. : alk. paper) ISBN (ebk): 978-0-520-96686-4 Produced for University of California Press by Myriad Editions Brighton, UK www.MyriadEditions.com Edited and coordinated by Jannet King Design, maps and graphics by Isabelle Lewis Additional design by Corinne Pearlman This ebook edition has been created using CircularFLO from Circular Software This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out, or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.
Introduction 9 Acknowledgments 15 Photo Credits 15 Chapter One Land & People 16 Land & Nature 18 California’s geography sets it apart from the rest of North America. Its natural blessings have been a source of wonder and wealth, its frequent earthquakes a challenge. Public Lands & Parks 20 Half of California’s land is in public ownership, and much of that is protected in the most extensive system of national, state, and local parks in the United States. Colonialism & Native Californians 22 California was part of the Spanish Empire, then Mexico, before being annexed to the United States. Native peoples were annihilated by Spaniards, Mexicans, and Americans alike, through forced removal, slave labor, disease and massacres, and are still struggling to regain their rightful place in state life. Population 24 California is the most populous state in the United States and for decades was among the fastest growing, due to high immigration and birth rates. Migration 26 For centuries, California has been a magnet for migrants, both domestic and foreign. They have come from many places in search of a better life, escaping poverty, war, famine, and persecution—but often facing hostility on arrival. Unauthorized Immigration 28 California has the highest number of unauthorized immigrants of any state. Although their presence is controversial, several industries depend on them to fill low-wage, low-skill jobs. Chapter Two Politics, Governance, & Power 30 Government & Politics 32 Democracy in California has long suffered from unequal representation, a weak party system, and the power of money in elections. But voting patterns are solidly Democratic have become more so in recent elections. Budget & Taxation 34 California has the largest budget after the federal government but has suffered budget shortfalls, revenue volatility, and reduced taxation, resulting in huge cuts during the recession and making planning difficult. Government Finances 36 Tax revenues constitute roughly half of the general revenue of California state and local governments. Two-thirds of expenditure goes to education, health, welfare, and safety. Military Power 38 California is the most militarized of states. It has been a strategic intellectual and technological center for the military, and served as the Pacific base of operations in several major wars. Crime & Incarceration 40 California’s prison population and funding for corrections have soared in the last 30 years, even though violent crime rates have dropped. The US Supreme Court has ordered a reduction in the state’s prison population to reduce overcrowding. Chapter Three Economy & Industry 42 Economic Growth 44 California’s economic growth has long outpaced the rest of the country. With its vibrant and diverse industrial tapestry, it is a model of economic innovation and prosperity. Workforce 46 California’s prosperity has been built on its workforce, both in numbers and quality. Labor demand and supply, skills, and wages have long exceeded the national average, feeding the state’s remarkable growth. Business & Finance 48 California is home not only to globestraddling corporations with large management teams, but also to thriving small businesses and start-ups. It has long been the second-largest center of finance in the country.
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