A term from sociology and politics that describes the conflict between different social classes in a society, especially in Marxism the conflict between the owning class (bourgeoisie) and the working class (proletariat).
example
Die Theorie des Klassenkampfes war ein zentraler Punkt in den Schriften von Karl Marx.
The theory of class struggle was a central point in the writings of Karl Marx.
Usage tips
Compound word
The word consists of 'Klasse' (class) and 'Kampf' (struggle/fight). What is important here is that 'Klasse' does not mean the classroom, but a social stratum in society (social class).
EXAMPLE
Der Begriff des Klassenkampfes beschreibt den Konflikt zwischen sozialen Gruppen.
The term class struggle describes the conflict between social groups.
Register
'Klassenkampf' (class struggle) is a technical term from politics, sociology, and history. In normal everyday life, this word is used only very rarely.
EXAMPLE
Im Geschichtsunterricht analysierten wir die Rolle des Klassenkampfes in der industriellen Revolution.
In history class, we analyzed the role of class struggle in the Industrial Revolution.
Typical collocations
The word is often used in connection with political theories. A typical combination is 'die Theorie des Klassenkampfes' (the theory of class struggle).
EXAMPLE
Die Schriften von Marx und Engels sind ohne das Konzept des Klassenkampfes kaum zu verstehen.
The writings of Marx and Engels are hard to understand without the concept of class struggle.