The Construction of Arguments Over the Rationing of Health Care

Abstract The aim of this paper is to uncover arguments over rationing health care as outlined in the British broadsheets. Following a brief introduction to the development of rationing in Britain, it considers the role of the media in society and looks at the arguments developed by the right wing media and contrasts these with the perspectives of the center left. It is argued that although these two perspectives have things in common, they differ significantly in the ways they view the social responsibilities of the state and in the way they interpret the health needs of the nation.