[BLANK-1] highlighted that scarcity and access to limited na…
highlighted that scarcity and access to limited natural resources drove political action in the West. The growth of Los Angeles came at the expense of farmers in Owens Valley in the early twentieth century. L.A. politicians used corrupt, illegal, and unethical practices to divert natural resources from Owens Valley, leading to the rapid rise of Los Angeles but the utter ruin of Owens Valley and its land. The incident was dramatized in the film, Chinatown (1974). Other issues related to the scarcity of resources in the west include the building of a dam in Hetch Hetchy Valley to provide resources for the people of San Francisco. The dam was technically within the boundary of Yosemite National Park, but congress approved its construction for the good of San Francisco’s citizens (much to the consternation of preservationists like John Muir).