Chapter 1 Notes - Summary Governing Texas PDF

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Chapter 1 Texas Political Culture Political culture – broadly shared values, beliefs, and attitudes about how the government should function and politics should operate. American political culture is traditionally viewed as emphasizing the values of liberty, equality, and democracy Texas is categorized as having a “traditionalistic individualistic” political culture – belief that govt should be dominated by political elites and guided by tradition, influenced by the culture of the south, combined with the belief that govt should limit its role in providing order in society so that citizens can pursue their economic self-interest, influenced by the culture of the mid-Atlantic states Three patterns in Texas politics: 1. One-party state: Texas was dominated by Democratic party; pattern broken in 1978 with Rep. William Clements 2. Provincialism – narrow, limited, and self-interested view of the world often associated with rural values and notions of limited government; often resulted in intolerance of diversity and concept of the public interest that dismissed social services and expenditures for education 3. Business dominance: major players in politics with deep pockets, interest groups and lobbyists The Land – how Texas’s geography has influenced its political culture Entering the union in 1845, only state other than original colonies to keep control of its public lands, which it privatized. Privatization of public property – the act(s) by which Texas gave public land owned by the state over to private individuals for cultivation and development Mineral rights held by state would fund education for next 160 years Texas is second-largest state next to Alaska Regions in Texas: 1. Gulf Coastal Plains – Largest region; home to land grans offered in first half of nineteenth century; birthplace of plantation slavery and Jim Crow segregation; dominated by rural conservative values 2. Interior Lowlands – predominantly agricultural economy and rural population; large cattle-raising industry; lots of ranches; dominated by conservative politics and rep. party 3. Great Plains – ranching and petroleum production dominate northern economy; southern economy is ag and cotton; conservative political views 4. Basin and Range Province – Mountains; Latino population; Democratic Economic Change in Texas Creative destruction – capitalism underwent periodic waves of disruptive transformation fueled by technological innovations in production and distribution Waves of technological change that helped define and redefine the state’s economy: 1. Cotton – oldest crop grown in Texas; from large production to small production due to political discontent from sharecropping and dependency on outside demand a. Barbed wire – enabled farmers to cordon off lands and protect crop b. Railroads – brought farmers into national market c. New plow – easier to dig up soil and increase productivity 2. Cattle – similar instance to cotton; attractive alternative to farming, but conflict arose between ranchers and farmers

3. Oil – 1894 in Navarro County near Corsicana, first economically significant oil discovery in Texas; 1898, first oil refinery; Spindletop discovery in 1901 produced first oil boom a. Cheap new source of energy helped factories and farms operate more efficiently, reducing need for farm workers, stimulated manufacturing b. Encouraged auto production and building roads c. Rapid industrialization of Gulf Coast region d. New rhythm to economic life in Texas – not seasonal like cattle and cotton; overproduction caused collapse in prices and economic downturn in boomtowns when fields tapped out e. Expanded power of state government in economy through Texas Railroad Commission f. Funded TAMU and UT g. 1980s recessions fueled by oil prices falling; barrel prices falling caused reduction in oil production 4. High-tech industry – Austin-San Marcos area with Dell; North Dallas with electronic companies; Houston with medical research facilities NAFTA, USMCA, International Economy NAFTA – North American Free Trade Agreement – trade treaty among USA, Canada and Mexico to lower and eliminate tariffs among the three countries (signed Dec 17, 1992); has accelerated diversification in Texas economy, but has also had negative impact on Texas economy due to lost jobs in manufacturing sector USMCA – United States, Mexico, and Canada – replaced NAFTA in 2018 Military – Fort Hood; lots of active duty, reserve and civilian personnel employed by US live in Texas Great Recession – 2007; housing market bubble; GNP dropped; Texas recovered quickly because of economic success in housing, banking, international trade and resurgence in oil and gas People of Texas Population growth in Texas – natural increase, international immigration, and domestic immigration; today, over half is natural increase; currently more migrate to the state from abroad than domestically; accounts for more Latinos in the population Whites – majority in nineteenth and twentieth centuries (Anglos – comprised of English, Germans, Scots, Irish, Czechs, and European Jews); Empresario – Spanish word for individual who promotes, organized or helps to finance an endeavor (Moses Austin, SFA); after Texas Revolution, whites came from deep south looking for cheap land, but they brought slavery and dominated the political culture of the state. White population percentage peaked at 74% in 1950 and has fallen to 42% in 2017. Latinos – 10.6 million Latinos residing in Texas by 2015, constituting over 19% of all Latinos in US; Majority in San Antonio, El Paso; sizable minorities in Houston, Dallas, Austin, Fort Worth; Poll tax – state-imposed tax on voters as a prerequisite for voting; poll taxes rendered unconstitutional in national elections by 24th amendment and in state elections by supreme court in 1966 African Americans – most entered Texas as slaves; 1/3 of states population during Civil War was comprised of slaves; slave emancipation June 19, 1865; 10 African American delegates helped write Texas constitution of 1869; population remains concentrated in East Texas, Houston and Dallas. Asian Americans – India, Vietnam, China, Pakistan, Korea and Japan; about 5% of population or over 1 million are Asian American; west Houston, suburbs of Dallas, Arlington, Austin and Gulf Coast Texas population is younger than national population, which tends to be poorer, however, has a decent per capita income of $50,000 ranking Texas 25th out of 50 states

Urbanization Urbanization – the process by which people move from rural to urban areas 85% of population live in urban areas Houston – largest city in Texas, 4th largest in nation; oil transformed Houston in twentieth century DFW Metroplex – railroad transformed economy; major center for petroleum financing and minor manufacturing center; third-largest tech center in the nation San Antonio – was capital of Spanish Texas in 1773; immigrants from Germany by the time of Civil War; blend of Latino, German, and southern Anglo American cultures; second largest city in Texas; 2/3 of population Latino; economy depends on national military bases, educational institutions, tourism, and large medical research complex Austin – mostly white and Latino; economy depends on state capital, University of Texas, and high-tech industry; started out as trading center in late 1800s; UT was main university for Texas and the capitol was built near center of Austin, surrounded by urban life...