Petite Bourgeoisie (Noun)
Meaning
Lower middle class (shopkeepers and clerical staff etc.).
Classification
Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects.
Examples
- The petite bourgeoisie was increasingly affected by economic instability, forcing many shop owners to declare bankruptcy.
- Despite working long hours, members of the petite bourgeoisie struggled to maintain their modest standard of living.
- Their narrow interests and conformist attitudes were typical of the petite bourgeoisie that dominated the local community.
- During the recession, many jobs held by the petite bourgeoisie, such as administrative assistants, were cut.
- Marx viewed the petite bourgeoisie as inherently contradictory, with members striving for economic advancement yet fiercely resisting radical social change.