What made California very "liberal"?

Question

I know that a lot of people moved to San Francisco during the Summer of Love. How did the rest of California follow so quickly? I thought a republic system is suppose to balance out opinions from differing areas to come to a middle ground. Somebody write a concise answer and dont be rude please.

Answer 1

California used to be a very free state, similar to other western states, like Nevada and Arizona. California has always been an immigrant state, and I don't just mean immigrants from other countries. We receive immigrants from other states, as well. Unless you live in smaller towns in northern California and in the Central Valley, chances are that you're not going to know too many people from the area or even the state itself. Everyone is from somewhere else, especially where I live now - Marin County, north of San Francisco. I don't mind that, but let's be real - Democrats tend to capture immigrants and cities. Lord knows California has a lot of both. California was once a solidly Republican state, but it's changed in the past twenty to thirty years. I can only assume that's the case because the demographics have changed so drastically. East coast Democrats dominate California politics and they've made this state very regulatory. (Just look at our Senators and more recent governors.) The tax burden is overwhelming, which is why more people leave California every year than enter the state.

Answer 2

A large component is the size of the state itself in realtion to where the primary concentrations of people are. LA being one of the major areas of population, where the movie/television industry is seated for the west coast. When these industries developed, those controlling the industry controlled the behavior of those working for, and seeking a way into the industry. Actors and other industry personnel believed themselves to be "above" the regular walk of life. Consequently the public began to cater to the behavior. In a short period of time you had a demographic area developing it's own social culture. A culture where a people believe they are entitled to enact their own personal beliefs and impose them on others without being rebuffed.

San Francisco, liberal yet different as night and day in contrast to L.A. San Francisco developed from a bawdy town. From it's early day's, S.F. was known as a city of debauchery from underground opium dens run by the multitudes of Chinese who came during the Crocker railroad construction to the hookers who frequented the warf district. San Francisco has always fought to maintain it's social liberalism. It's central geographic location made it ripe for a city having to be "open". This is why the beatnick/hippie movement took off and was centralized in S.F.

People from around the world came, and still do flock to S.F. due it's mystique as a great social melting pot, climate, and logistical flexability for producers.

And then came the universities that evolved into hippie magnates for those actually seeking a valid education or those dodging the draft. Currently the hippies of the 60's are propogating their philisophical viewpoints in the universities as the professors. So now people are being taught to be liberal in their mindset. And, if the students don't see eye to eye with the professorspersonal viewpoints they're screwed. Ever tell a college professor "you're wrong"? Kiss the "A" in that class goodbye because you've attacked their ego.

If you look at California's areas of population you'll notice the coastal regions, the area's outside of L.A. and S.F. are 95% liberal. In the north coast it's the "Bohemian" lifestyle and in the south it's the elitest.

Money is the driving force of liberalism. Yes, you'll hear the liberal claim corporations are the evil doers. So why is it the largest corporations are owned by liberals? Look at the dot com industry and those tied to it. Look at media and textile. The large producers are of liberal foundation. Look at unions! Talk about a bastion of liberalism admitting it's concern is money, and what can be obtained for nothing, siezing control from the owners.

Another part of the equation is the division in social culture between the predomiant regions of California. There is just no way you're gooing to get a centralized thought process going on in a state that's 830 miles long. The east coast has 15 states packed into the same amount of area. Look at the social differences you'd encounter in that. Think you could get those 15 states on the same page for commaon goals? Never! And because it can't be done in CA., the operation of the state is wishy washy at best. When you can't make a decision based on the whole, you make the decision based on who whines the loudest. The loudest come from L.A. and S.F. The remainder of the state takes back seat. And since it does, the voice of two central regions, which happen to be liberal set the course for the remainder of the state. So what get's put out to the larger public? The liberal viewpoint on all directions. Since thats what the genral public hears, it's what they believe is correct and buy into it continuing the cycle.

California will always be liberal because it can't figure out where it's been, or where it's going. It's a wishy washy state that can't seem to accept accountability or responsibility. Like a 3 year old who doesn't get his way and throws a hissy fit. The kid, like CA. needs a boot in his butt!

Answer 3

California 'as we know it' started with the Gold Rush. There were a few Spanish people here, actually it was part of Mexico when gold was discovered. Suddenly there was a huge influx of people from all over and the population went up like 500% in a year.

Since just about everyone here--and everyone in the gold fields--was newly arrived, there was a great spirit of democracy. There were no 'old' families like there was in New England and the East Coast. No rich people or celebrities. Everyone was kind of the same!

Gold was discovered in 1848 but the discovery wasn't made public until 1849. Within one year there were enough people in California for the US to take it over (and much of the Southwest with it) and make it a state. As a state, the state constitution was written with this democratic idea in mind. So for instance we have an initiative process for people to pass laws by ballot that the legislature won't pass.

Also for many years California was isolated from the rest of the country. All the states in between, everything from Missouri west to California were either territories or 'wilderness'. The railroad didn't connect both ends of the country until 1869 so it took like 3 months to cross the country by stagecoach! Consequently most people arriving in California came by ship, and they came not just from the rest of the US but from everywhere in the world, mostly Asia. So California was a relatively tolerant place in terms of race, religion, national origin, language spoken etc. etc.

And it still is, I'm proud to say. 8^)

This is why artists have always congregated in San Francisco, the beat generation started elsewhere but thrived here, and in the 60s, when gays started coming out of the closet and demaning their rightful place in the world, they moved here to organize.

Or it could just be that someone tipped the nation to the left and all the loose nuts and fruits rolled over to the west coast. 8^)

Answer 4

An excellent question.

It seems paradoxical that a State that overwhelmingly voted against against Affirmative Action (Proposition 209), voted against Bilingual Education (Proposition 227), voted against extension of taxpayer funded benefits to illegal immigrants (Proposition 187) and voted for a 2/3rd majority requirement to raise taxes (Proposition 83), to name a few, would also be the State that prides itself on its Socialism. But this is because people misunderstand the meaning of Socialism. Not all Socialists are alike. In fact, as a former Trotskyite, we were quite conservative on social issues while being collectivist/Statist on matters of economics. We were more akin to Solidarists (Christian Socialism dominated by Catholics), or Fabians (British Socialism).

Californians are quite Leftists in their politics and economics and at the same time exceedingly conservative on social issues. To shore up the Leftist base of politics you have a huge number of illegal immigrants who make up a permanent dependency class for social welfare programs which Democrats use to maintain the loyalty of that class. Additionally, there is the fact that California dominated by Labour Unions who give more than 97% of all of their political contributions to the Democrat Party. And most important of all is the fact that California electoral power is concentrated in Los Angeles and San Francisco with San Diego running a distant third. More than 45% of all votes cast in this State come from Los Angeles Country. It is no surprise then that Los Angeles Country happens to be the main bastion of Leftist political control.

Now the obvious response is: how can this be when the State routinely elects Republican Governors? Well, this is similar to the way Southern Democrats behave. They have no problem sending Republicans to the Governors mansion. But their local representatives are Democrats. Democrats hold over 70% of all elected and appointed offices in the State of California. Sometimes this is a matter of political affinity for Democrats and other times it is simply a matter of rational self-interest. Since Democrats already have an unbreakable hold on State and local politics even Republicans understand that electing a Republican would guarantee little if any attention to their local concerns.

Answer 5

"Liberal" is almost a meaningless word, since it really only gets used as an attack.

California has some of the harshest restrictions on personal liberties of any state in the country, and some of the highest taxes.

It has some areas where it respects civil liberties, and other areas where it does not.

It has some areas where the state provides for those who cannot, and some areas where it does not.

California is called :"liberal" because it often is at the forefront of news with regard to change, so conservatives can attack it as being "liberal" because it often makes changes before other parts of the country.

But in most respects, it is a fairly balanced mix.

Answer 6

The song is "Hotel California" by the Eagles. You can find it on the album "Hotel California" it is the first song. It was made sometime in the 80's.

Answer 7

Hollywood

Answer 8

CA liberalism is really concentrated in SF and LA. Rural CA, can be pretty conservative, and even the greater SF and LA areas have some towns and neighborhoods that are more conservative, or at least less liberal.

Answer 9

Agree with B. Kevorkian.

Also, California has a lot more universities and colleges than any other state.

The more educated one is, the more liberal they tend to be.

Answer 10

sunshine - but san fran doesn't get much - but most of ca is pretty sunny that is good for a person's disposition and promotes communications and out door activities.