[Marxism] Petty bourgeois and bourgeois

[Anthony Boynton]

A few words on Marxist terminology. The worst
contribution of French to Marxist terminology in
English is the word "bourgeois". Those of us who live
in cities belong to many social classes.

Capitalist, small capitalist, and independent producer
or worker are better terms, but not much used.

Most people who have been termed to be "petty
bourgeois" are small capitalists, independent
producers, or managerial and professional employees.

The small capitalists and independent producers form a
transitional class in capitalist society. They play a
key role in every crisis.

Similarly managerial and technical employees form
another transitional class. While in some respects
they are part of the working class, in other respects
they are not. They can share in surplus value through
bonuses, stock options, etc. Plus they have other
priveleges which set them off from and above other
workers. 

Some of them become small capitalists through
investment of the surplus value they acquire in either
shares of stock or independent businesses. 

Historically almost the entire leadership of every
social revolution in history has come from one or the
other of these two transitional classes. Look at Marx,
Engels, Lenin, Trotsky, Mao, Villa (that's Pancho)
Winstanley, Cromwell, Ho Chi Minh, and those French
guys (Guys, too) except for the aristocrats.

The use of the term "petty bourgoies" within the
Marxist movement, especially in outfits like the SWP
was sort of like the use of the word "papist" in
Protestant sects in Northern Ireland.

Anthony


       
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