Capitalist Class Explanation and Implication
In the realm of social and economic theory, the term bourgeoisie holds significant weight. Originally coined by Karl Marx, the bourgeoisie represents those who own the means of production. This class, often associated with the middle class, has played a pivotal role in shaping modern society.
Marx saw the expansion of the bourgeoisie as causing its stratification based on levels of business activity and economic function, resulting in the haute and petite bourgeoisie. The haute bourgeoisie, a term that emerged primarily during the 19th century, consists of bankers and industrialists, while the petite bourgeoisie was constituted of tradesmen and white-collar workers.
The haute bourgeoisie in Germany, for instance, ascended to the upper ranks of society during this period, with the rise of industrial capitalism. This class consisted of those who had accumulated significant economic capital and social status beyond the traditional aristocracy. On the other hand, a blacksmith who owns his own shop and the tools in it may be considered part of the petite bourgeoisie.
Some scholars have drawn further lines between those who are bourgeoisie on virtue of their education and those who are simply on the basis of their wealth. The intelligentsia, a notable example of the educated bourgeoisie, is a group that has been studied extensively in this regard.
The bourgeoisie, according to Siegrist (2007), generalized its own understandings of law to improve its chances of gaining favorable positions in a system of material, social, political, and cultural inequality. This strategic use of law and social norms has been a defining characteristic of the bourgeoisie throughout history.
In many Francophone countries, the bourgeoisie is considered to consist of five evolving social layers: the petite, moyen, grande, haute, and ancienne bourgeoisie. The ancienne bourgeoisie, according to Rene Remond (yeaR), denotes those who lie between the aristocracy and the middle class, often having acquired their status during the "Ancien Regime," and having held onto it for 400 or 500 years (Remond, 2013).
It's important to note that the bourgeoisie earn profits by deriving work from workers, while the workers sell their ability to work and their labor for a wage. This dynamic, often associated with feelings of materialism in the middle class, has been a subject of debate and analysis in various academic circles.
Bourgeois is also a French loanword that refers to an individual belonging to the middle class, and can be employed as an adjective to denote traits of the middle class. As we continue to understand and navigate the complexities of class and society, the study of the bourgeoisie remains a crucial part of this conversation.
