California’s Next Century

America is in a recession, and California is one of the hardest-hit states. Many solutions have been put forth to help get us all back on track, but this book offers one of the most radical. Marcus Ruiz Evans proposes that America grant California independence so that it can become a new global negotiations hub, a place where all countries can come together to work out trade deals along with other pieces of international legislation.

This idea is extreme, but Evans supports it well. The appendices are clearly organized and cite many respectable sources to effectively argue that California is well positioned to become a place of global cooperation and that the transition from an American state to an independent nation is both beneficial and precedented.

Unfortunately, the main text of the book is not so straightforward. The chapters are arranged in a confusing manner, and the book is riddled with grammatical errors that sometimes make it difficult to understand. The author also fails to consistently and properly cite his sources, an error that is highlighted by the perfect citation in the appendices. The biggest problem, however, are the occasional glaring factual inaccuracies. For example, at one point the author claims that President Obama granted West Virginia statehood. While these inaccuracies do not detract from the author’s overall argument, they do interrupt the reader’s progress and call into question the author’s authority.

All of that aside, however, Evans does provide solid evidence for California’s independence, and he effectively argues that independence would be good for California, America, and for the world as a whole. I just wish that the clarity and citation presented in the appendices were present throughout the entire book. Were that the case, this text would be impossible to ignore. As it is, California’s Next Century has provided me with lots of food for thought, but also with a lot of confusion.