Introduction

Abstract

This chapter explores the place of healthcare in the American moral order and social imaginary and in American political culture. It introduces the core concepts of the book, the book’s structure and research questions, its empirical focus, and the nature of rights and the concepts of liberty and individualism in American politics and law. It examines US law and public policy on healthcare in a comparative perspective with other nations globally and introduces Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act. Finally, it discusses the evolution of Democratic healthcare reform rhetoric historically.