lumpenproletariat
[ luhm-puhn-proh-li-tair-ee-uht ]
noun(sometimes initial capital letter)(esp. in Marxist theory)
the lowest level of the proletariat comprising unskilled workers, vagrants, and criminals and characterized by a lack of class identification and solidarity.
Origin of lumpenproletariat
11920–25; <German (Marx, 1850), equivalent to Lumpen rag or Lumpen-, combining form of Lump ragamuffin + Proletariatproletariat
Words Nearby lumpenproletariat
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British Dictionary definitions for lumpenproletariat
lumpenproletariat
/ (ˌlʌmpənˌprəʊlɪˈtɛərɪət) /
noun
(esp in Marxist theory) the amorphous urban social group below the proletariat, consisting of criminals, tramps, etc
Origin of lumpenproletariat
1German, literally: ragged proletariat
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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