what/who exactly is the bourgeoisie?
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Marxist terms have been used by so many different groups that the terms mean different things to different people. Though this term does not originate in Marxist context it is the context it is most often used today.
Most simply, the bourgeoisie are the people that own means of production. That means the people who own factories and specialized equipment to make money.
Many modern Americans would use the term only to refer to the upper class, 1%, etc. but many people in the middle or lower class could be considered bourgeoisie. A farmer who owns their field and equipment like tractors wouldn’t be considered such by modern standards, but because they own a means of production they are part of the bourgeoisie.
This is to contrast with the proletariat, who only own their ability to work and not any other means is production. An insurance agent working for a company might have a higher income than a farmer, but because the insurance agent can only make money by their own labor they are proletariat. The farmer could stop working themselves and still make money by renting out their land and tools, so they are bourgeoisie.
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