proletariat
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proletariat
In Marxist theory, the class of wage laborers who do not own their own means of production and therefore must sell their labor in order to live. More generally, the term is also used for the working class or the lowest social class in an industrial society.
Karl Marx beschrieb den Klassenkampf zwischen dem Proletariat und der Bourgeoisie.
Karl Marx described the class struggle between the proletariat and the bourgeoisie.
Although 'das Proletariat' (the proletariat) refers to a large group of people, the word is treated grammatically as singular. So the verb is always in the 3rd person singular.
Das Proletariat forderte bessere Arbeitsbedingungen.
The proletariat demanded better working conditions.
The corresponding adjective is 'proletarisch' (proletarian). It describes things that relate to the proletariat or are considered typical of this social class.
Er kam aus einfachen proletarischen Verhältnissen.
He came from a simple proletarian background.
'Proletariat' is a technical term from sociology and political science that plays a central role especially in Marxist theory. In normal everyday life, the word is rarely used.
In seinen Schriften analysiert er die Rolle des Proletariats in der industriellen Revolution.
In his writings, he analyzes the role of the proletariat in the Industrial Revolution.
working class
Arbeiterklasse and Proletariat can both refer to wage-dependent people as a social group. Arbeiterklasse also sounds comparatively neutral in a general political or sociological statement, whereas Proletariat has stronger Marxist-theoretical and historical associations. Use Proletariat especially when there is a clear theoretical connection.
In seiner Vorlesung erklärte der Professor die Rolle des Proletariats in der marxistischen Theorie.
In his lecture, the professor explained the role of the proletariat in Marxist theory.
Die Studie untersucht, wie sich die Lebensbedingungen der Arbeiterklasse verändert haben.
The study examines how the living conditions of the working class have changed.
