While this new edition will include key political developments over the last few years, California politics remains affected by the diverse and hyperpluralistic nature of the state itself, particularly its people and the groups to which they belong. Although political leadership is central to governing, the authors continue to explain California politics through the dual lenses of diversity and a variant of pluralism they call hyperpluralism. In all nine editions, the authors have tried to show two things: (1) how demographic, cultural, economic, geographic, and political diversity affect how politics actually works in California, and (2) how the exceedingly pluralistic nature of the state results in a highly competitive tug-of-war between ideologies, institutions, policymakers, political parties, interest groups , and voters.