A New Regionalism
In October of 1975—a month before the election of Jerry Brown to his first stint as California’s governor—the British economist E.F. Schumacher spoke at the Cow Palace arena in Daly City. Several thousand people showed up to hear him, an impressive draw for someone in Schumacher’s line of work. His popularity was aided by the soon-to-be governor’s promotion of Schumacher’s mantra, also the title of his best-selling book: “small is beautiful.” The book advocates for some causes that sound remarkably familiar now, including local food, local production of goods, the end of environmental destruction for the sake of profit, and the scaling back of powerful and bloated governments and corporations.
For the majority of Baby Boomers, the meaning and cultural significance of “small is beautiful” is probably common knowledge. But I’d guess that most people under thirty-five have never heard of Schumacher, even if they believe strongly in the causes he championed.
– CM
To get to Point Reyes Station from Oakland, I take Highway 101 all the way to Petaluma so that I can then head southwest on Red Hill Road, a gorgeous stretch of highway where rolling hills preside over a lush, grass-filled valley. Oak and scrub line the road, which meanders like a river, passing through the Nicasio Reservoir before terminating in the town of 350 people at the base of the Tomales Bay.
It’s unclear, of course, how much of this will be visible through the morning’s vicious downpour. Over the Richmond Bridge I can’t see more than a few car lengths in front of me, and every time someone passes I’m blinded completely by spray. At one point the car starts to skid, and I lose control and drift for about forty yards.
– PB
This is an excerpt of “A New Regionalism”