This work investigates the systemic social and environmental consequences resulting from the rise of corporate agriculture in California. Carey McWilliams, a lawyer and social critic, utilizes historical records and investigative reporting to challenge the narrative of the California agricultural dream. He documents the transition from small-scale farming to industrial-scale operations, arguing that this shift relied on the exploitation of successive waves of immigrant and migrant labor.

This text is regarded as a foundational critique of industrial agriculture and a significant contribution to the study of labor relations in the American West. Its detailed historical documentation and focus on marginalized labor groups provide a comprehensive framework for understanding the economic disparities inherent in California's agricultural development.