Marxism View on Socio-Economic Status and Health - Essay Example

Socio Economic Status and Health: Marxism Student Name: Tutor: Course Name: Institution: Date: Socio Economic Status and Health: Marxism Introduction Socio economic factors play a vital role in determining the health status of an individual. Socio economic status comprises individual factors such as level of education, financial resources, employment status and social standing within a given society. Thus socio economic factor refers to the distribution of advantages and shortcomings in a society that in turn natures the patterns of disease. For instance, health risks elements such as dirty water, poor hygiene and poor nutrition can be curbed with the availability of treatment. However in Australia, an individual’s ability to evade such dangers and decrease the magnitudes of disease by tapping into those incomes is unswervingly linked to socioeconomic position and the essential origins of the disease. Individuals with contact to means of production, information and influence have a means to take advantage of appropriate health material as opposed to the poor (AIHW, 2002). On the other hand Marxism theory according to Karl Marx, views the society with existence of classes within its structure. Thus an individual’s class is determined by their relationship with the means of production within the society. The proponents of Marxism divided the society into two classes; capitalists who own the means of production and proletariat who were mainly workers selling they labour. Hence the society is divided into the classes of the rich and poor. Thus the paper will discuss the socio economic status and health and in particular mortality rate as a health issue in Australia in relation to the Marxism theoretical perspective. Socio Economic Status and Health Health inequalities exist due to the fact of the existence of groups inhabiting imbalanced situations in the society. Thus some individuals experience good health while others do not. The disparities in health occur between different socio-economic groups in the society. Hence socioeconomic position denotes an individual’s standing in the social hierarchies that are dictated by education, employment status and earnings. These components greatly determine an individual’s life likelihoods and standards of living. There is evidence that those individuals living in a poor locality with run down housing and poor social amenities the effects take a toll on their health (McKee, 2002). In children the effects of poverty are usually experienced before birth due to low birth weight. This in in turn raises the mortality rate of children due to poor nutrition and lack of access to proper medical care as a result of poverty. The socio economic status of children is measured using their parents’ income. Thus in a poorer class an individual is likely to experience a high children mortality rate due to the prevailing conditions. Whereas those individuals of a high standing in the society due to their advantage nature in the society, they will experience a low child mortality rate. This is because the rich have the means of ensuring a healthy child even before birth due to access to proper medical care and proper nutrition. In general terms, socioeconomic health status is experienced in the society due to biological factors, environmental stressors, health risk behaviour and psychosocial factors. These factors play a role in fueling health inequalities in the society. As opposed to the rich who are regarded as advantages individuals in the society the poor due to poverty lack appropriate source of information regarding their wellbeing and the means to access proper health care. Due to environmental factors such as dilapidating housing conditions and poor environmental conditions the poor are subjected to poor health (NHS, 1992). High mortality rate in both adults and children is a socioeconomic health issue experienced in the society. Due to the fact that the poor receive low wages in return for the labour they offer to the rich it brings about a lot of disparities since the poor cannot afford quality health care. The economic status of the poor also hinders them from accessing proper nutrition and appropriate nutrition for themselves and their children (Strauss et.al. 1998). In Australia among the Aboriginal society there is a high child mortality rate. This is experience because of lack of proper medical care especially during child birth where women are unable to access proper health and lack of accessibility to health facilities. Among the poor Australia there is a high mortality rate among the adults on the basis of poor nutrition and also as they engage in hard labour their bodies wear out making them vulnerable. The poor living conditions also contribute to the high mortality rate experienced as a health issue in Australia (Link &Phelan 2000). Theoretical Perspective Karl Marx is highly regarded as the father of Marxism. He argues that inequality is rampant in the society due to the fact that the society is stratified. Thus stratification of the structures in the society brings about the element of inequality. According to him the society is divided into those individuals who own the means of production in the society which he referred to as bourgeoisies. The second class of individuals is those who sell their labour to those who own the means of production and are referred to as proletariat. Thus the society is divided into the rich and the poor. The rich own the means of production in the society and have a socioeconomic advantage in the society. The poor on the other hand sell their labour to the rich but acquire low wages for the services they offer. They have a disadvantaged socioeconomic status in the society. Due to the low wages and dilapidating living conditions the poor become vulnerable and susceptible to diseases thus experience a high mortality rate (Marx & Engels, 1998). According to Marx there is existence of both capitalism and socialism in the society. Capitalism is a characteristic feature of those individuals who own the means of production in the society. Those who own the means of production in the society have their own interests at heart and exploit the laborers/poor for their own benefit. Marx was against capitalism since he viewed it as a means of stratification of the society and it will result into social conflict. He argues that due to exploitation of the rich by the poor the poor will revolt against the rich leading to a social revolution in the society. He further advocated for socialism whereby every member of the society was mindful of one another. He argues that the existence of socialism will lead into a classless society which is an ideal situation. A classless society will ensure equality in the society and ensure that each member of the society is satisfied. Equality will be enhanced since there will be no classes in the society and its structures (Marx, 2003). Relationship between the theoretical perspective and health issue It is evident that there is a relationship between mortality rate as a health issue and the explanation of the Marxism theory. Karl Marx argues that society is stratified into the class of the rich who own the means of production and the poor who sell their labour to the rich in the society (Kuhn ed., 2005). Those who own the means of production in the society exploit those who sell labour for their own benefit. In Australia the poor work for long period with low wages, poor sanitation and poor living condition. These conditions experienced by the poor greatly affect their health making them vulnerable. Those who sell their labour to the rich, Marx referred to them as proletariats are faced with a high mortality rate. This is due to the fact that their socioeconomic status is disadvantaged. They receive low wages, work for long hours and live in dilapidating conditions. The poor experience both high child and adult mortality rate due to their vulnerability. There is also limited access to health information, lack of appropriate health care, poor sanitation that further contribute to their vulnerability. Hence the poor are susceptible to multiple disease infections that in turn increase their mortality rate. In Australia many children from poor backgrounds die before the age of 5 years due to lack of proper nutrition and proper medical care. High mortality rate is a health issue that is a characteristic feature of the poor or lower class in Australia (Turrell, 2001). On the other hand individuals who own the means of production in the society that Marx regarded them as bourgeoisies represent the rich in the Australian society. This class of individuals possesses a socioeconomic advantage since they own the means of production. The rich therefore experience a low mortality rate. This is due to the fact that the rich due to their wealth have access to health information, good nutrition, excellent housing conditions and access to appropriate health services. Thus whenever the rich fall sick they are able to access proper health care immediately and therefore reducing their vulnerability to death (Claussen et.al. 2003). The socioeconomic status of children is usually measure by their parents’ socioeconomic status. Thus in Australia infant/child mortality rate is low since the rich have the means of accessing proper maternal care during pregnancy and after child birth. The rich are also able to receive child immunization thus lowering infant mortality rate. Mortality rate as a health issue in Australia is low among the rich due to their socioeconomic standing in the society (Western, 2000). Health inequality in Australia is evident due to the existence of different social classes that puts one class at the advantage of another Marxism theory exhibits itself in Australia in relation to mortality rate. Thus to curb this inequality there is need for the government to implement several policies (Horton, 2002). Marx argues that the existence of classes will lead in to a social revolution and social conflict. To avert this situation the government should implement the wage policy so as to ensure that workers are fully compensated for the labour offered. Social mobility through education should be encouraged to as to reduce inequality in the society (Bartley, 2004). In Australia the government has played a role in the reduction of inequality especially in the health sector through the subsidization of the provision of health services both to adults and children immunization programme so as to reduce both adult and infant mortality rates. The main limitation of the theory is that Australian community is a high mobility society due to education, employment and other factors. Thus an in individual cannot remain poor all their lives. The theory failed to acknowledge the possibility of individuals moving from one class to another within the social structure (Baum, et al. 2000). Conclusion In Australia there is the development of policies to reduce health inequalities. This policy counts on the implementation of a policy to reduce poverty and inequality. In Australia poverty is a contentious issue of how it should be measured. However, it is unlikely in countries like Australia that with the absence of major economic changes at an conceptual and organizational level that economic and health related inequalities will decline. Thus there is need for the government to put more efforts in eradicating poverty which has led to the creation of the rich and poor classes so as to curb social inequalities. Through government efforts of subsidization in the health sector, the masses who are the poor will be able to benefit. This will in turn aid in lowering mortality rate among the poor in the society and making the poor to be at par with the rich in terms of mortality rate as a health issue in the society. Therefore it is up to the policy makers to embrace a broader picture of health, its social determinants and policies that seem to be unrelated to health but pose a significant impact on the health sector. List of References Australian Bureau of Statistics 2004, Measuring social capital: an Australian framework and indicators. Canberra, Commonwealth of Australia. Information Paper 1378.0. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2002) Australia’s health 2002: the eighth biennial health report of the AIHW. Canberra, AIHW. Cat. no. AUS25. Baum, F. et al. 2000, Families, social capital and health. In: I. Winter (ed) Social Capital and Public Policy in Australia. Melbourne, Australian Institute of Family Studies Horton, R. 2002, What the UK government is (not) doing about health inequalities. London, Lancet. Winter, I. 2000, Social capital and public policy in Australia, Australian Institute of Family Studies, Melbourne. Kuhn ed., 2005, Class and Struggle in Australia (Pearson Longman: Frenchs Forest,), p. 58. Marx & Engels, 1998, The Communist Manifesto and Its Relevance for Today (Resistance Books: Chippendale,), pp. 45-46. Marx, 2003, The Class Struggles in France (Resistance Books: Chippendale), p. 254. Western, M. 2000, 'Class in Australia in the 1980s and 1990s', in A Sociology of Australian Society, 3rd edn, eds ].M. Najman and ].S. Western, Macmillan,Melbourne, pp. 68-88. Turrell, G. 2001, 'Income inequality and health: In search of fundamental causes', in The Social Origins of Health and Well-Being, eds R. Eckersley,]. Dixon and B. Douglas, Cambridge University Press, Melbourne, pp.83-104. National Health Strategy 1992, Enough to Make You Sick: How Income and Environment Affect Health, AGPS, Canberra. Australian Institute for Health and Welfare (AIHW) 2004, Australias Health, AIHW, Canberra. Link BG &Phelan JC. 2000,“The Fundamental Cause Concept as an Explanation for Social Disparities in Disease and Death.” In The Handbook of Medical Sociology, Bird C., Conrad P., Fremont A. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall. Phelan JC, Link BG, Diez-Roux A., Kawachi I., Levin B. 2000, “Preventability of Death and SES Gradients in Mortality: A Fundamental Cause Perspective.” Link BG, Phelan JC. 1996,“Review: Why Are Some People Healthy and Others Not? The Determinants of Health of Populations.” American Journal of Public Health. 86:598-9. McKee M. 2002, What can health services contribute to the reduction of inequalities in health? Scandinavian Journal of Public Health, 30 (suppl 59), 30, 54-58. Strauss J, Thomas D. 1998, Health, nutrition and economic development, Econ. Lit. 36:766–817 Robert SA. 1999, socioeconomic position and health: the independent contribution of community socioeconomic context. Annu. Rev.Sociol.25:489–516 Bartley M. 2004, Measuring socio‐economic position. In: Bartley M, ed. Health inequality: an introduction to theories, concepts and methods. Cambridge: Polity Press, 22–34.34. Claussen B, Davey Smith G, Thelle D.2003, Impact of childhood and adulthood socioeconomic position on cause specific mortality: the Oslo mortality study, J Epidemiol Community Health. 5740–45.45. Read More

In general terms, socioeconomic health status is experienced in the society due to biological factors, environmental stressors, health risk behaviour and psychosocial factors. These factors play a role in fueling health inequalities in the society. As opposed to the rich who are regarded as advantages individuals in the society the poor due to poverty lack appropriate source of information regarding their wellbeing and the means to access proper health care. Due to environmental factors such as dilapidating housing conditions and poor environmental conditions the poor are subjected to poor health (NHS, 1992).

High mortality rate in both adults and children is a socioeconomic health issue experienced in the society. Due to the fact that the poor receive low wages in return for the labour they offer to the rich it brings about a lot of disparities since the poor cannot afford quality health care. The economic status of the poor also hinders them from accessing proper nutrition and appropriate nutrition for themselves and their children (Strauss et.al. 1998). In Australia among the Aboriginal society there is a high child mortality rate.

This is experience because of lack of proper medical care especially during child birth where women are unable to access proper health and lack of accessibility to health facilities. Among the poor Australia there is a high mortality rate among the adults on the basis of poor nutrition and also as they engage in hard labour their bodies wear out making them vulnerable. The poor living conditions also contribute to the high mortality rate experienced as a health issue in Australia (Link &Phelan 2000).

Theoretical Perspective Karl Marx is highly regarded as the father of Marxism. He argues that inequality is rampant in the society due to the fact that the society is stratified. Thus stratification of the structures in the society brings about the element of inequality. According to him the society is divided into those individuals who own the means of production in the society which he referred to as bourgeoisies. The second class of individuals is those who sell their labour to those who own the means of production and are referred to as proletariat.

Thus the society is divided into the rich and the poor. The rich own the means of production in the society and have a socioeconomic advantage in the society. The poor on the other hand sell their labour to the rich but acquire low wages for the services they offer. They have a disadvantaged socioeconomic status in the society. Due to the low wages and dilapidating living conditions the poor become vulnerable and susceptible to diseases thus experience a high mortality rate (Marx & Engels, 1998).

According to Marx there is existence of both capitalism and socialism in the society. Capitalism is a characteristic feature of those individuals who own the means of production in the society. Those who own the means of production in the society have their own interests at heart and exploit the laborers/poor for their own benefit. Marx was against capitalism since he viewed it as a means of stratification of the society and it will result into social conflict. He argues that due to exploitation of the rich by the poor the poor will revolt against the rich leading to a social revolution in the society.

He further advocated for socialism whereby every member of the society was mindful of one another. He argues that the existence of socialism will lead into a classless society which is an ideal situation. A classless society will ensure equality in the society and ensure that each member of the society is satisfied. Equality will be enhanced since there will be no classes in the society and its structures (Marx, 2003). Relationship between the theoretical perspective and health issue It is evident that there is a relationship between mortality rate as a health issue and the explanation of the Marxism theory.

Karl Marx argues that society is stratified into the class of the rich who own the means of production and the poor who sell their labour to the rich in the society (Kuhn ed., 2005).

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