Texas at the Crossroads: People, Politics, Policy / Edition 1

by Anthony Champagne, Edward J. Harpham

Overview

The Lone Star State finds itself in the midst of a great transition. No longer the rustic frontier state of myth and legend, Texas is a complex, highly urbanized society that is rapidly replacing old dreams with new ones. Faced with increasing demands on state services and with unreliable revenues tied to an unsteady oil industry, Texas must make hard decisions for its future.

This volume seeks to appraise Texas as it is today and to assess the direction in which the state is headed. The first part of the book deals with the Texan people—demographics, economic changes that have affected Texas’ political economy over the past decades and continue to shape its future, and the shifting style of Texas politics and its potential for change.

Part two explores seven major policy areas: management of water resources, energy policy, educational reform, funding of higher education, highway policy, crime and the penal system, and welfare reform.

By seeking to understand the status and prospects of the state in terms of its changing political economy, this book will provide readers with insights into the challenges and opportunities facing Texas as it moves into the twenty-first century. The excellent case studies of Texas policy areas will be a most valuable resource for students and scholars of state and local history and comparative politics, policy makers, journalists, and all Texas citizens who are concerned with the problems that lie ahead.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780890963173
Publisher:	Texas A&M University Press
Publication date:	06/01/2000
Edition description:	First Edition
Pages:	416
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.73(d)

About the Author

ANTHONY CHAMPAGNE is professor of social sciences and Edward J. Harpham is assistant professor of government and political economy at the University of Texas, Dallas.

Table of Contents

	List of Figures	ix
	List of Tables	xi
	Acknowledgments	xiii
	Introduction	3
Part I	The Setting
1	The Demography of a Sunbelt State	15
2	Advanced Industrial Development	42
3	The Electorate is Texas	68
Part II	The Issues
4	Water for Texas	111
5	Energy Policy	129
6	Assessing Educational Reform	154
7	Funding Higher Education	174
8	Highway Policy	203
9	Crime and Correction	230
10	Welfare Reform in Perspective	262
	Epilogue	297
	The Contributors	299
	Index	301

Editorial Reviews

"Adds Harpham, 'We are effectively directionless at the time we most need to redefine where we're going and how we're going to get there. The resulting problems will have to be grappled with well into the next Century.'"—Richardson Daily News

Richardson Daily News