Proletariat - GCSE Sociology Definition

The term 'Proletariat' refers to the group of people in society who do not own the means of production, such as factories or land, and instead work for wages. In simpler terms, these are the working-class individuals who sell their labour to earn a living. The concept comes from the writings of Karl Marx, an important sociologist who studied how societies are structured. The proletariat often has less power and wealth compared to the 'bourgeoisie', which is the class that owns the production resources. Understanding the differences between these classes can help explain social inequalities and conflicts within society.