ABSTRACT
The contributions of Marx to medical sociology are discussed in this chapter. His influence in sociology has been both profound and contentious. His notion of historical materialism and class struggle as the driver of human history has been severely critiqued and their current relevance to modern conditions is examined. One effect of Marxist theory in former communist countries was that of suppressing sociology, which impeded the development of medical sociology. The reasons for this are reviewed. Contributions to sociological theory have yet to emerge from former or current communist countries. Today Marxist theory occupies more of a niche area in contemporary medical sociology, but the perspective survives in a diminished state of influence. It can be useful in selected areas of medical sociology, namely (1) political economy studies in which health is viewed as a commodity, (2) conflict theory that deals with the effects of class division on health and interest group differences in health policy disputes, and (3) the income inequality hypothesis that has been subjected to extensive criticism.
