bourgeoisie
boor-zhwah-ZEE
/ˌbʊər.ʒwɑːˈziː/
The middle or upper-middle class, typically characterized by ownership of property and capital.
In Marxist analysis, it refers to the ruling class that owns the means of production.
The story behind the word. From Old French burgeis, referring to an inhabitant of a bourg (walled town). Town-dwellers engaged in commerce grew wealthy over centuries, developing into the capitalist class distinct from feudal lords.
Word relationships
- middle class: Middle class is socio-economic descriptive term; bourgeoisie carries cultural and political implications of capital ownership.
- proletariat: Proletariat is the working class selling labor, while bourgeoisie is the owning class.
Commonly confused with
- aristocracy: Aristocracy bases wealth and privilege on hereditary land titles, whereas bourgeoisie bases power on trade and capital.
Word family
- bourgeois (adjective): Characteristic of the bourgeoisie or middle class.
Collocations
- petty bourgeoisie
- industrial bourgeoisie
- values of the bourgeoisie
Example sentences
- "The rising bourgeoisie in 18th-century Europe demanded political influence to match its expanding wealth." Sociological Analysis
- "Novelists of the 19th century often satirized the conventional values of the comfortable bourgeoisie." Cultural Critique
Memory hook
BOURG-eoisie live in the town borough (bourg) and count their profits in comfortable homes. Town merchants turned capitalists.
When not to use
Not appropriate for royalty or landed nobility; it specifically refers to commercial and capitalist wealth.
Fun facts
- The word 'burglar' shares the same root (burgus), referring to someone who breaks into a town house.
Related words
Explore more words
affluence, suburb, elite, gentrification, plutocracy, affluent
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