bourgeoisie
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bour·geoi·sie
(bo͝or′zhwä-zē′)n.
1. The middle class.
2. In Marxist theory, the social group opposed to the proletariat in the class struggle.
[French, from bourgeois, bourgeois; see bourgeois.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
bourgeoisie
(ˌbʊəʒwɑːˈziː)n
1. (Sociology) the middle classes
2. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) (in Marxist thought) the ruling class of the two basic classes of capitalist society, consisting of capitalists, manufacturers, bankers, and other employers. The bourgeoisie owns the most important of the means of production, through which it exploits the working class
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
bour•geoi•sie
(ˌbʊər ʒwɑˈzi)n.
1. the middle class.
2. (in Marxist theory) the property-owning capitalist class in conflict with the proletariat.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
Bourgeoisie
bourgeois collectively or as a class, the French middle class, 1707; also extended to other nationalities.Dictionary of Collective Nouns and Group Terms. Copyright 2008 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
bourgeoisie
1. People who, in the capitalist system, own the means of production, i.e. those things which are used to produce commodities, such as factories, machinery, and finance. According to Marx, as society moved from feudalism to capitalism, the bourgeoisie replaced the aristocracy as the real power holders. A distinction is sometimes made between the petite bourgeoisie (small property owners such as tradesmen, shopkeepers, and craftsmen) and the haute bourgeoisie (large scale property owners such as company owners.)
2. The class in society who control the means of production, such as capitalists and large employers, and, according to Marxist theory, oppress the working class.
Dictionary of Unfamiliar Words by Diagram Group Copyright © 2008 by Diagram Visual Information Limited
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Noun | 1. | ![]() social class, socio-economic class, stratum, class - people having the same social, economic, or educational status; "the working class"; "an emerging professional class" petite bourgeoisie, petty bourgeoisie, petit bourgeois - lower middle class (shopkeepers and clerical staff etc.) |
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