Comprehensive Study Guide on Texas Government and Politics and Economics and Demographics

The Significance of Texas Government and Political Culture

The Evolutionary Context of State Government:
- During the twentieth and early twenty-first centuries, American government was characterized by the significant expansion and prominence of the national government.
- As a result of this national expansion, many observers began to view state and local politics as relics of a bygone era, though they remain critical to contemporary governance.
Defining Political Culture:
- Political culture refers to broadly shared values, beliefs, and attitudes regarding the proper function of government and society.
- Traditional American political culture is characterized by an emphasis on three core values: liberty, equality, and democracy.
Texas's Specific Political Culture:
- Texas is uniquely categorized as having a "traditionalistic individualistic" political culture.
- One-Party Dominance: For more than $100$ years, Texas was dominated by the Democratic Party.
- Partisan Shift: Substantial competition between parties emerged during the 1990s. The Republican Party eventually secured total control of the state government after 2002.
- Emerging Trends: Democrats currently view the expanding Latino population as a critical route to regaining political prominence in the state.
The Concept of Provincialism:
- Provincialism is defined as a narrow view associated with rural values and notions of limited government.
- Historically, this resulted in a self-interested worldview and an intolerance of diversity.
- Forces Undercutting Provincialism: Modern Texas provincialism is declining due to:
  1. Increasing urbanization.
  2. The growing influence of women and racial/ethnic minorities in the political sphere.
  3. The rising importance of the state within the global economy.
Business Dominance:
- Texas's political culture is heavily defined by the long-standing dominance of business interests.
- These interests are primary players in political lobbying and campaign contributions.
- Alternative groups, such as labor unions, are rare, poorly organized, and/or poorly funded in comparison.

The Geography and Physical Regions of Texas

The Impact of Land and Size:
- Geography significantly shapes Texas politics.
- Texas is the second-largest state in the U.S. (after Alaska).
- Dimensions: The longest straight-line north-to-south distance is $801$ miles; the longest east-to-west distance is $773$ miles.
- Comparison: For perspective, the east-to-west distance from New York City to Chicago is $821$ miles.
- Land Ownership: Texas is unique in that it turned a large portion of its public lands over to private ownership.
The Gulf Coastal Plains:
- This region is the center of almost all timber production in Texas.
- It contains some of the state's most famous oilfields.
- History: This area formed the foundation of plantation life during the antebellum period, where slavery flourished.
- Politics: Modern urban areas in this region have become Democratic, while suburban areas have tilted toward the Republican Party.
The Interior Lowlands:
- Characterized by an agricultural economy and a rural population.
- The West Texas Rolling Plains within this region have level, cultivable land and a major cattle-raising industry.
- Home to many of the state's largest ranches and defined by conservative political values.
The Great Plains:
- The economy is centered on agriculture (specifically cotton production), ranching, and petroleum.
- Politically conservative, though the historical power of regional politicians is currently ebbing as urban populations grow elsewhere.
The Basin and Range Province:
- Defined by mountains, low rainfall, and a sparse population.
- This region has a large Latino population and is a stronghold for the Democratic Party.
- Key Democratic strongholds include El Paso, McAllen, and Brownsville.

Economic Waves and Technological Change

Over the last $150$ years, Texas has experienced three waves of technological change:
1. First Wave: Centered on cotton and cattle production.
2. Second Wave: Driven by the oil industry.
3. Third Wave: Tied to the high-tech digital economy.
The Evolution of Cotton:
- Cotton is one of the oldest crops in Texas.
- In $1930$ , $61\%$ of Texas farmers were tenant farmers; one-third of those were sharecroppers.
- Tenant farming crashed during the Great Depression. By $1987$ , only $12\%$ of farmers were tenants.
- In $2019$ , $98.6\%$ of Texas farms were family-held (farms, partnerships, or corporations).
- Texas still produces $25\%$ of all cotton grown in the United States.
The Cattle Industry:
- Ranching took off post-Civil War and expanded statewide.
- While still important, the industry is increasingly dominated by large agribusiness companies.
- Neither cotton nor cattle are as economically dominant as they once were.
The Rise of Oil and Gas:
- The industry originated in $1901$ with the Spindletop oilfield discovery.
- The industry introduced a "boom-and-bust" mentality because major discoveries could causes price collapses.
- Texas Railroad Commission: This body expanded government power by regulating the oil and gas industry.
- Funding: The industry has historically provided significant benefits to higher education in the state.
- 2020 Challenges: The industry faced a global oil glut and decreased demand during the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to a budgetary shortfall for the state.
Manufacturing and High-Tech:
- World oil prices collapsed in $1982$ , prompting economic diversification.
- In the 1990s, Texas jumped from 7th to 2nd in the nation for total manufacturing employment.
- In $2018$ , manufacturing accounted for $13\%$ of the state's total output and employed $7\%$ of the workforce.

International Trade and the Military

Trade Agreements:
- NAFTA (1992): Created a free-trade zone between the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. This led to increased Texas exports, with Mexico becoming the state's top importer.
- USMCA (2018): Replaced NAFTA under the Trump administration, amid debates over undocumented workers and global trade.
The Military Presence:
- Military bases are economically vital to local communities and stimulate growth/employment.
- In $2019$ , there were $150,000$ active-duty, reserve, and civilian personnel in Texas.
- Major Bases and Data (as of the provided graphic):
  - Fort Bliss (1849): $25,546$ Active, $260$ Reserve, $5,660$ Civilian.
  - Fort Hood (1942): $36,391$ Active, $805$ Reserve, $6,915$ Civilian.
  - Lackland Air Force Base (1942): $21,532$ Active, $4,224$ Reserve, $9,226$ Civilian.
  - Fort Sam Houston (1878): $10,462$ Active, $692$ Reserve, $10,506$ Civilian.

Demography: Who Are Texans?

Population Growth Factors:
- Natural increase (births).
- International immigration (predominantly from Mexico).
- Domestic immigration (from other U.S. states).
- The $2020$ population was estimated to be over $28\text{ million}$ .
White Population:
- Non-Hispanic Whites were the dominant ethnic group for most of the 19th and 20th centuries.
- Early settlement was encouraged by empresarios like Moses Austin and Stephen F. Austin.
- The White population peaked as a percentage of the total state population in $1950$ at $74\%$ .
- By $2020$ , this percentage dropped to $41.2\%$ .
Latino Population:
- Mostly of Mexican descent. In $2021$ , there were $11.7\text{ million}$ Latinos in Texas ( $19\%$ of all Latinos in the U.S.).
- Political History: The White primary and poll taxes once discouraged Latino voting.
- Henry B. Gonzalez: In $1956$ , he became the first Mexican American elected to the Texas Senate in modern times.
- La Raza Unida Party: Emerged in the mid-1960s.
- Representation: Latino elected officials grew from $1,466$ in $1986$ to $2,521$ in $2011$ .
Black Population:
- Early populations were low ( $5,000$ in $1845$ ) due to Mexican antislavery attitudes but surged after the Texas Revolution ( $58,000$ in $1850$ ) as slavery expanded.
- Emancipation occurred on June 19, 1865.
- Post-Reconstruction Obstacles: Black Codes, poll taxes, White primaries, lynching, and segregation relegated Black Texans to second-class citizenship.
- Progress: The Civil Rights Act (1964) and Voting Rights Act (1965) opened the political system.
- Barbara Jordan: Elected in $1972$ as the first Black woman from Texas in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Asian American Population:
- Primarily from India, Vietnam, China, Pakistan, Korea, and Japan.
- Estimated at over $1.5\text{ million}$ ( $5.2\%$ of the population) in $2020$ . Mostly concentrated in urban and suburban areas.
Age and Income:
- Texas is younger than the national average: $32.4\%$ are under $18$ (national: $28.3\%$ ).
- Only $12.9\%$ are $65$ or older (national: $16.5\%$ ).
- Income Lag: Median income in Texas ( $59,674$ in 2021) lags behind the national average ( $63,445$ ), partly due to the younger demographic.

Urbanization and Major Texas Cities

The Shift to Urban Life:
- Urbanization is nearly complete; $85\%$ of Texans live in urban areas.
- Houston: Largest city in Texas (4th in the U.S.); population of $2.3\text{ million}$ . It is a global energy center and the busiest deep-water port in the U.S. by tonnage.
- Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex:
  - Dallas: Corporate culture, center for petroleum financing (since 1930).
  - Fort Worth: Aviation industry center, identified more with West Texas.
  - The area total population reached $7,637,337$ in $2020$ .
- San Antonio: Second-largest city. Economy based on military bases, tourism, and medical research. Growth stems from the Spanish presidio San Antonio de Béxar.
- Austin: State capital and high-tech hub. Home to the flagship University of Texas at Austin. Per capita income is higher than the state average.

Future Outlook

2050 Projections:
- Total state population is projected to reach $47,342,417$ .
- The population will be increasingly Latino ( $43\%$ by 2050) and Asian/Other ( $16\%$ ).
- The White population is projected to shrink to $29\%$ by 2050.
Challenges:
- Reevaluating international trade (especially with China) and resolving debates over legal/illegal immigration remain top political priorities.