This article analyzes the evolution of historical and institutional factors that led the Brazilian private health market to its present situation. Its main theoretical basis is the Pierre Bourdieu's symbolic power theory, complemented, in the non-conflictive aspects, by the Anthony Giddens' institutional perspective on the field genesis motivational factors. The research' data were collected through documents and semi structured interviews during 2002-2003 period, involving the qualitative analysis due to understand the field's phenomena under an actors' perspective. The research identifies the several players that integrate the market, their evident strategic goals and those that are not so, besides the powers' resources used to reach them. Thus, it tries to show, through a historic linear description, emphasizing determinant facts, the market's evolutionary constitution. This study demonstrates that the private health market in Brazil results of several measures by the government, particularly after the 1970's, as a consequence of an alternative strategy aiming to expand the health services. It enforced the institutionalization of isomorphic structures with a strong internal interaction and a hierarchy involving values and beliefs, as characteristics of a symbolism, which is inherent to the field. Among such characteristics, health care stands out as something inherent to the citizenship. Finally, this study considers that the increasing Brazilian population's longevity, the difficulties faced by retirees who intend going back to the labor market and the rising concentration of the national income (the high medical technology costs makes the situation even worse) may restrict access to the private health market. In the future, it will be a serious problem in this very important sector of the Brazilian social policy.
private health - Brasil; simbolic power; Pierre Bourdieu
