Bourgeoisie Quote by Friedrich Engels
“By bourgeoisie is meant the class of modern capitalists, owners of the means of social production and employers of wage labor. By proletariat, the class of modern wage laborers who, having no means of production of their own, are reduced to selling their labor power in order to live.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, 1848
The quote defines the two main social classes in capitalist societies: the bourgeoisie who own production means, and the proletariat who sell labor.
In simple terms: Defines owners vs workers in capitalism.
Key Takeaway
Recognize class dynamics in modern economies.
Themes
economics
class struggle
capitalism
history
politics
Mood
critical
analytical
reflective
Type
theoretical
political
educational
When to use this quote
- labor negotiations
- policy debates
- educational curricula
- union organizing
- corporate governance
Key Concepts
Marxism
social theory
class analysis
Questions to Reflect On
- How do contemporary gig workers fit this definition?
- Can class mobility alter these categories?
A Different Perspective
The binary view can oversimplify complex class identities and intersecting oppressions.
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![“...it was always our view that in order to attain this [proletarian revolution] and the other far more important aims of the future social revolution, the working class must first take possession of the organised political power of the state and by its aid crush the resistance of the capitalist…” quote by Friedrich Engels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/458/friedrich-engels-8301_aids_it-was-always-our-view-that-in-order-to_258810.jpg)
