For students, Kaskla (political science, California State U., Long Beach) considers California's political system, arguing that it must be analyzed as a system by and for the rich. He describes the state's political history and its institutions, how the parties and legislature work, the powers of the governor, and the formulation of the budget in these terms and how the institutions and people that run the system hinder democratic practices and goals. He discusses the concept of elite politics, land development, the economic crisis brought on by the fear of taxation, and the role of money in the electoral process, and critiques the justice system as being dual: one for the wealthy and the other for everyone else. Annotation ©2008 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)