proletariate
Definition
- Noun:
- The working class: "proletariate" refers to the social class comprising those who do manual labor or industrial work for wages, especially in a capitalist system. It is a variant spelling of "proletariat."
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- The proletariate rose up against the factory owners. (The working class rebelled against their employers.)
- Marx argued that the proletariate would eventually overthrow the bourgeoisie. (Marx believed the wage-earning class would seize power.)
Advanced Usage
- "dictatorship of the proletariate": a political system in which the working class holds state power, often associated with Marxist theory.
- The revolution aimed to establish a dictatorship of the proletariate. (The goal was to create a government led by workers.)
- "proletariate consciousness": awareness among workers of their shared interests and social position.
- Strikes helped raise proletariate consciousness among the miners. (Strikes made the miners more aware of their collective power.)
Variants and Related Words
- Proletariat (n): the more common spelling of the same word, meaning the working class.
- The industrial revolution expanded the proletariat in cities. (The working class grew larger.)
- Proletarian (adj/n): relating to the proletariat; a member of the proletariat.
- He wrote a novel about proletarian struggles. (He wrote about working-class hardships.)
Synonyms
- Working class: the social group of people who work for wages, especially in manual or industrial jobs.
- Laboring class: those who perform physical work for a living.
- Proletariat: the standard spelling of the same term.
Related Idioms
- "Rise of the proletariate": the historical or political emergence of the working class as a powerful force.
- The rise of the proletariate changed the political landscape. (The working class gained influence.)
Note: "Proletariate" is a less common variant of "proletariat." Both are used in Marxist and sociological contexts to describe the wage-earning class.