bourgeoisie
/ˌbʊəʒwɑːˈziː
/noun [treated as singular or plural]
1The middle class, typically with reference to its perceived materialistic values or conventional attitudes: the rise of the bourgeoisie at the end of the eighteenth century the landed gentry were replaced by a local bourgeoisie...
- The legacy of Stalinism has been to create massive confusion in the former-Soviet working class, which has enabled the national bourgeoisies to re-establish themselves on the same lines as in 1920.
- The creation of these states with their rival bourgeoisies only served to divide the powerful working class of the sub-continent and subjugate them to the dictates of finance capital.
- To offset these dangers, the UN brought together three basic forces - the imperialist powers, led by the US; the Stalinist bureaucracy in the USSR; and the national bourgeoisies in the colonial and economically backward countries.
1.1(In Marxist contexts) the capitalist class who own most of society’s wealth and means of production: the conflict of interest between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat...
- That means that in capitalist economies the bourgeoisie will be the ruling class.
- The working class cannot rely on the corrupt and reactionary bourgeoisie to defend democratic rights or oppose fascism.
- Whatever the referendum result, the bourgeoisie will press ahead with its offensive against the working class.
Origin
Early 18th century: French, from bourgeois.
Rhymes
- freedom march
- freedom of conscience
- freedom of expression
- Freedom of Information Act
- freedom of religion
- freedom of speech
- freedom of the seas
- freedom papers
- freedom ride
- freedom rider
- freedom scroll
- freedomship
- freedom song
- Freedom Trail
- freedom walk
- freedom walker
- free drop
- freed-up
- freedwoman
- free energy
- free enterprise
- free enterpriser
- free expression
- free fall
- free field