Unearthing organic ideology in population health interventions: the case of water fluoridation provision in the Health and Care Act 2022

Abstract

Departing from Keith Syrett’s article in this issue, this commentary critically considers the place of organic ideology in population health interventions, using water fluoridation provisions contained in the Health and Care Act 2022 as an example. It demonstrates that liberal capitalist and neoliberal capitalist conceptions of the state as protector ground these provisions and, in so doing, it shows that population health interventions must be grounded in resonant politico-philosophical ideas prior to considerations around the opening of a policy window. This comment concludes by noting the need for further work to grasp the positive and negative role of appealing to organic ideology in public health law, regulation and policy.