Bourgeoisie

Definition

The bourgeoisie refers to the social class that emerged during the Industrial Revolution, consisting of business owners, professionals, and the middle class. This group held significant economic and political power, often in contrast to the working class or proletariat.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The bourgeoisie were the driving force behind the Industrial Revolution, using their capital to finance the development of new technologies and industries.
2. The bourgeoisie's pursuit of profit and their exploitation of the working class were central to Marx's critique of capitalism.
3. Marx believed the bourgeoisie's control of the means of production allowed them to extract surplus value from the labor of the proletariat, leading to class conflict.
4. The bourgeoisie's political power often came through their economic influence, as they used their wealth to shape government policies and protect their interests.
5. The rise of the bourgeoisie and the decline of the feudal system were key factors in the transition from a primarily agricultural to an industrialized society.

Review Questions

• Describe the role of the bourgeoisie in the Industrial Revolution and the development of capitalism.
  • The bourgeoisie were the driving force behind the Industrial Revolution, using their capital to finance the development of new technologies and industries. As the owners of the means of production, the bourgeoisie were able to accumulate wealth and power, becoming the dominant class in the emerging capitalist system. Their pursuit of profit and their exploitation of the working class were central to Marx's critique of capitalism, as he believed the bourgeoisie's control of the means of production allowed them to extract surplus value from the labor of the proletariat, leading to class conflict.
• Explain the relationship between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat, and how this relationship is central to Marxist theory.
  • According to Marxist theory, the bourgeoisie and the proletariat are engaged in a fundamental class conflict. The bourgeoisie, as the owners of the means of production, exploit the labor of the proletariat, the working class who must sell their labor to the bourgeoisie in exchange for wages. This exploitation allows the bourgeoisie to extract surplus value from the proletariat, further concentrating wealth and power in the hands of the bourgeoisie. Marx believed this inherent conflict between the two classes would ultimately lead to the overthrow of the bourgeoisie by the proletariat, paving the way for a socialist or communist society.
• Analyze the political power and influence of the bourgeoisie, and how this shaped the development of capitalism and the critique of Marxism.
  • The bourgeoisie's political power often came through their economic influence, as they used their wealth to shape government policies and protect their interests. This allowed the bourgeoisie to maintain their dominance and the capitalist system, even in the face of growing discontent and class conflict. Marx's critique of capitalism centered on the bourgeoisie's control of the means of production and their ability to exploit the proletariat, leading to the concentration of wealth and power in the hands of a few. The bourgeoisie's political influence was a key factor in Marx's prediction that the proletariat would eventually rise up and overthrow the capitalist system, paving the way for a more equitable socialist or communist society.

Related terms

Proletariat: The working class, or those who sell their labor to the bourgeoisie in exchange for wages.

Capitalism: The economic system in which the means of production are privately owned and operated for profit, with the bourgeoisie as the dominant class.

Marxism: The political and economic theory developed by Karl Marx, which critiques capitalism and predicts its eventual overthrow by the proletariat.