Healthism in the context of the social criticism of medicine

The article analyses the main works dealing with the origin and development of healthism in the context of the social criticism of medicine. Special attention is given to the description of socio-cultural and historical background of the origin of a new type of political ideology in the context of transition to the neoliberal model of management. The author discusses the mechanisms of formation of the value of health and healthy lifestyle, defines the ways of transformation of individual behaviour and health responsibility into the standard of behaviour typical for western countries. The healthism is considered as a means of moral pressure in its connection with the problem of social alienation.