What does proletariat mean?
The proletariat is most precisely associated with Marxist theory, where it denotes the working class: people who sell their labor for wages and do not own the means of production. The concept became especially influential through the writings of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, who presented the proletariat as the class capable of transforming industrial society. In broader historical use, the word can refer more generally to poor workers or the lowest social and economic class, particularly in cities. Its usage is therefore largely formal, political, or historical rather than everyday. Today it is often discussed in connection with labor organization, class inequality, industrial capitalism, and socialist politics. Although “proletariat” can sound old-fashioned, it remains useful because it identifies a specific social category rather than merely describing people as poor or working class.
nounIn Marxist theory, the proletariat is the class of people who sell their labor for wages and do not own the means of production. In broader historical usage, it can refer to the poorest and lowest-paid working class, especially urban workers.
- In Marxist theory, the class of workers who must sell their labor to survive and who do not own the means of production.
- In broader historical usage, the poorest or lowest social class, particularly the urban working poor.
"The factory workers saw themselves as part of the proletariat fighting for better wages and working conditions."
"Marx argued that the proletariat would become the leading force in transforming industrial society."
"The novel describes the harsh lives of the rural proletariat during the nineteenth century."
The plural is grammatically correct but uncommon because the word usually refers to a social class as a whole.
"Historians have compared the proletariats of industrial Europe and early industrial North America."
The word proletariat comes from the Latin for offspring, reflecting the ancient idea that poor people were the offspring of the common people.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does proletariat come from?
The word comes through French prolétariat from the Latin proletarius, originally meaning “one of the common people” or “offspring.” The Latin term was associated with the lowest social classes in ancient Rome and carried the idea of people born into a poor or dependent status. The modern political sense developed in the nineteenth century through socialist and Marxist writing, where it became a central term in the analysis of industrial capitalism.
Related word forms
How proletariat is actually used
The term is most common in Marxist and socialist political theory, where it has a precise technical meaning. Outside this context, it is formal and sometimes carries a critical or archaic tone, especially when referring to the poorest members of society.
Easily confused with proletariat
Proletarian is an adjective or noun referring to a member of the proletariat, whereas proletariat is the collective name for the social class itself.