The traditional Marxist position is that there are
better bourgeoisie capitalism change communism conscious contradictory egalitarian exploited immiseration interests labour location majority maximise neo objective own owner ownership perceived profits proletarian proletariat Registrar revolutionary sell status two Weberian workers classes in capitalist society. Those who
better bourgeoisie capitalism change communism conscious contradictory egalitarian exploited immiseration interests labour location majority maximise neo objective own owner ownership perceived profits proletarian proletariat Registrar revolutionary sell status two Weberian workers the means of production, distribution and exchange - the
better bourgeoisie capitalism change communism conscious contradictory egalitarian exploited immiseration interests labour location majority maximise neo objective own owner ownership perceived profits proletarian proletariat Registrar revolutionary sell status two Weberian workers , and those who own nothing apart from their ability to
better bourgeoisie capitalism change communism conscious contradictory egalitarian exploited immiseration interests labour location majority maximise neo objective own owner ownership perceived profits proletarian proletariat Registrar revolutionary sell status two Weberian workers - the
better bourgeoisie capitalism change communism conscious contradictory egalitarian exploited immiseration interests labour location majority maximise neo objective own owner ownership perceived profits proletarian proletariat Registrar revolutionary sell status two Weberian workers . The proletariat therefore constitutes a massive
better bourgeoisie capitalism change communism conscious contradictory egalitarian exploited immiseration interests labour location majority maximise neo objective own owner ownership perceived profits proletarian proletariat Registrar revolutionary sell status two Weberian workers in society. Anyone who has to
better bourgeoisie capitalism change communism conscious contradictory egalitarian exploited immiseration interests labour location majority maximise neo objective own owner ownership perceived profits proletarian proletariat Registrar revolutionary sell status two Weberian workers his or her labour in order to survive is classified as a
better bourgeoisie capitalism change communism conscious contradictory egalitarian exploited immiseration interests labour location majority maximise neo objective own owner ownership perceived profits proletarian proletariat Registrar revolutionary sell status two Weberian workers , and anyone who is able to live of rents,
better bourgeoisie capitalism change communism conscious contradictory egalitarian exploited immiseration interests labour location majority maximise neo objective own owner ownership perceived profits proletarian proletariat Registrar revolutionary sell status two Weberian workers , dividends etc. by virtue of what they own, and therefore does not have to work to survive, is a member of the bourgeoisie.
Marx claimed the
better bourgeoisie capitalism change communism conscious contradictory egalitarian exploited immiseration interests labour location majority maximise neo objective own owner ownership perceived profits proletarian proletariat Registrar revolutionary sell status two Weberian workers of the bourgeoisie and the proletariat are diametrically opposed. Thus it is in the interests of the bourgeoisie to
better bourgeoisie capitalism change communism conscious contradictory egalitarian exploited immiseration interests labour location majority maximise neo objective own owner ownership perceived profits proletarian proletariat Registrar revolutionary sell status two Weberian workers profits - they do this by making
better bourgeoisie capitalism change communism conscious contradictory egalitarian exploited immiseration interests labour location majority maximise neo objective own owner ownership perceived profits proletarian proletariat Registrar revolutionary sell status two Weberian workers work harder for less money. Marx suggested that the profit motive would ultimately lead to the
better bourgeoisie capitalism change communism conscious contradictory egalitarian exploited immiseration interests labour location majority maximise neo objective own owner ownership perceived profits proletarian proletariat Registrar revolutionary sell status two Weberian workers of the working class (proletariat). In other words all of them would get more and more
better bourgeoisie capitalism change communism conscious contradictory egalitarian exploited immiseration interests labour location majority maximise neo objective own owner ownership perceived profits proletarian proletariat Registrar revolutionary sell status two Weberian workers . Eventually Marx claimed the proletariat would become
better bourgeoisie capitalism change communism conscious contradictory egalitarian exploited immiseration interests labour location majority maximise neo objective own owner ownership perceived profits proletarian proletariat Registrar revolutionary sell status two Weberian workers (aware) of what was happening to them (and why) and would develop a
better bourgeoisie capitalism change communism conscious contradictory egalitarian exploited immiseration interests labour location majority maximise neo objective own owner ownership perceived profits proletarian proletariat Registrar revolutionary sell status two Weberian workers consciousness - they would rise up against the bourgeoisie and enact a better and more equitable society -
better bourgeoisie capitalism change communism conscious contradictory egalitarian exploited immiseration interests labour location majority maximise neo objective own owner ownership perceived profits proletarian proletariat Registrar revolutionary sell status two Weberian workers .
The Marxist theory of class is opposed by those sociologists who explain class not in terms of
better bourgeoisie capitalism change communism conscious contradictory egalitarian exploited immiseration interests labour location majority maximise neo objective own owner ownership perceived profits proletarian proletariat Registrar revolutionary sell status two Weberian workers or non ownership of the means of wealth production, but in terms of prestige,
better bourgeoisie capitalism change communism conscious contradictory egalitarian exploited immiseration interests labour location majority maximise neo objective own owner ownership perceived profits proletarian proletariat Registrar revolutionary sell status two Weberian workers and style of life. Society is said to consist of a hierarchy of non-conflicting classes, with names such as upper, middle, working and under. Classifications which emphasise lifestyle and
better bourgeoisie capitalism change communism conscious contradictory egalitarian exploited immiseration interests labour location majority maximise neo objective own owner ownership perceived profits proletarian proletariat Registrar revolutionary sell status two Weberian workers status such as The
better bourgeoisie capitalism change communism conscious contradictory egalitarian exploited immiseration interests labour location majority maximise neo objective own owner ownership perceived profits proletarian proletariat Registrar revolutionary sell status two Weberian workers Generals and NS-SEC are more influenced by Max Weber's writings. However Marxists would argue that
better bourgeoisie capitalism change communism conscious contradictory egalitarian exploited immiseration interests labour location majority maximise neo objective own owner ownership perceived profits proletarian proletariat Registrar revolutionary sell status two Weberian workers theory tends to gloss over the fact that only about 2 percent of the population own enough capital to live comfortably on the income it provides; the other 98 percent have to find an employer or live off state benefit. Marxists claim that class position is an
better bourgeoisie capitalism change communism conscious contradictory egalitarian exploited immiseration interests labour location majority maximise neo objective own owner ownership perceived profits proletarian proletariat Registrar revolutionary sell status two Weberian workers economic position whether people are conscious of it or not.
Early Marxists suggested that the social and economic conditions of life under
better bourgeoisie capitalism change communism conscious contradictory egalitarian exploited immiseration interests labour location majority maximise neo objective own owner ownership perceived profits proletarian proletariat Registrar revolutionary sell status two Weberian workers would eventually force workers to become aware of their class location and develop a desire to
better bourgeoisie capitalism change communism conscious contradictory egalitarian exploited immiseration interests labour location majority maximise neo objective own owner ownership perceived profits proletarian proletariat Registrar revolutionary sell status two Weberian workers it.
It has become apparent to later Marxist theorists that such processes are a good deal more complex. The working class are not equally downtrodden and exploited by the capitalist system - instead some workers do rather
better bourgeoisie capitalism change communism conscious contradictory egalitarian exploited immiseration interests labour location majority maximise neo objective own owner ownership perceived profits proletarian proletariat Registrar revolutionary sell status two Weberian workers out of capitalism than others. This has led to
better bourgeoisie capitalism change communism conscious contradictory egalitarian exploited immiseration interests labour location majority maximise neo objective own owner ownership perceived profits proletarian proletariat Registrar revolutionary sell status two Weberian workers -Marxists such as E.O. Wright developing a new model.
E.O. Wright suggests that in modern capitalist economies there are now a range of "
better bourgeoisie capitalism change communism conscious contradictory egalitarian exploited immiseration interests labour location majority maximise neo objective own owner ownership perceived profits proletarian proletariat Registrar revolutionary sell status two Weberian workers class locations" - a person placed thus (say a business manager rather than an owner) can be exploited by the business
better bourgeoisie capitalism change communism conscious contradictory egalitarian exploited immiseration interests labour location majority maximise neo objective own owner ownership perceived profits proletarian proletariat Registrar revolutionary sell status two Weberian workers for whom he works, but is also an exploiter of the shop floor
better bourgeoisie capitalism change communism conscious contradictory egalitarian exploited immiseration interests labour location majority maximise neo objective own owner ownership perceived profits proletarian proletariat Registrar revolutionary sell status two Weberian workers who also work for the business. The manager's class
better bourgeoisie capitalism change communism conscious contradictory egalitarian exploited immiseration interests labour location majority maximise neo objective own owner ownership perceived profits proletarian proletariat Registrar revolutionary sell status two Weberian workers is therefore contradictory and he doesn't develop class consciousness.
The existence of contradictory class locations or a "new middle class" in mature capitalist economies has been used as an explanation by Neo Marxists as to why a revolutionary and
better bourgeoisie capitalism change communism conscious contradictory egalitarian exploited immiseration interests labour location majority maximise neo objective own owner ownership perceived profits proletarian proletariat Registrar revolutionary sell status two Weberian workers proletarian class consciousness is yet to occur.