there were unions way before truman. but, no, i mean the theory that businesses pretty much owned workers and it was in the businesses best interest to keep them healthy. (of course this was way before advanced medicine, we're talking fixing mechanical things (broken bones, trauma, etc.)


also i know that germany had socialized medicine in the 1880's, and also that modern day corporations (i think) get their command and control structure from the prussian military model.


anyway, just about the origins of the coupling between two seemingly unrelated things (trading your personal time/work for stuff and health care (whole idea of insurance different topic) ).


by the way, originally only the wealthy even had doctors. as far as i know, medicine is the only area where some people feel that 'someone' owes them something that can easily exceed their (expected) lifetime worth (wages, everything).


brad