Differences in health outcomes like life expectancy, both across and within countries, are connected with conditions of life and work—the social determinants of health—by way of social and economic inequalities. We describe our approach—the political economy of health—and use the comparative study of welfare state regimes as an example. We map out the remainder of the book and its organisation around neoliberalism, with special reference to our case study countries—the UK and US, probably the two large, rich countries that have travelled farthest down the neoliberal road, although we use comparative data from other countries as necessary. We conclude by identifying some cross-cutting issues and arguments: individualisation of risk and responsibility; the politics of scientific evidence; the intergenerational impact of neoliberal epidemics; and the return to a much more unequal, unfettered form of capitalism: a new Gilded Age.