Political economy analysis of the properties of doctors' labour and medicines

• Published in: China political economy 2020-01, Vol.3 (1), p.75-91
• Main Authors: Liu, Fengyi, Chen, Shenghui
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Commodities; Consumption; Expenditures; Health care policy; Health insurance; Manual workers; Political economy; Politics; Society; Wages & salaries
• ISSN: 2516-1652; 2516-1652
• DOI: 10.1108/CPE-05-2020-0003

PurposeDoctors' labour and medicines are special necessities for human survival and evolution. Since China launched the healthcare reform, the theoretical circles' discussions have not yet clarified the respective special properties of doctors' labour and medicines as goods and the internal relations between doctors' labour and medicines at the level of the theoretical basis.Design/methodology/approachHealth is a prerequisite for people's all-round development, a precondition for economic and social development and the people's common aspiration. The all-round moderately prosperous society could not be achieved without people's all-round health.FindingsThe authors believe the socialist relation between doctors' labour and medicines with Chinese characteristics should be one that is people-oriented, and the corporatization of hospitals or the capitalization of doctors' labour should be avoided.Originality/valueIn this paper, the authors explore the particularity of doctors' labour, particularity of medicine production, circulation, consumption and the internal relations between doctors' labour and medicines by using the analytical approach of Marxist political economy while considering the special roles of doctor's labour and medicines in the reproduction of labour power and put forward the theoretical basis for the segregation of doctor's labour and medicines.