by Paul Sabin
First published 2004
Oil dominates American politics today through energy crises, climate debates, and national security concerns. Paul Sabin argues that political forces, not free markets, created America's petroleum dependence during the twentieth century. He focuses on pre-World War II California to show how legislative battles and court decisions over property rights, regulation, and public spending determined the state's oil industry structure. Sabin reveals that policy choices made before the war established the market frameworks and pricing systems that still govern oil today. Political decisions shaped the institutions underlying California's petroleum economy in ways that continue to influence contemporary issues like climate change and urban sprawl. The book examines the real relationship between business and government, challenging popular beliefs about market freedom. Sabin's research covers multiple fields including environmental, legal, business, and political history of the American West.
Genres: 20th-century, business, political-science, environment, 21st-century, american-history
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: business-government-relationship, market-forces
Setting: California, America, West
Period: Pre-World War II, Twentieth Century
327 pages · Hardcover · University of California Press