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VORADictionaryC2Lumpenproletariat
CEFR C2 — Proficiency

Lumpenproletariat

Definition

(academic, Marxist theory) A term used to describe the lowest stratum of the working class, characterized by chronic unemployment, poverty, and a lack of class consciousness, often seen as being disconnected from the rest of the proletariat. Typically collocates with 'underclass', 'marginalized', 'disenfranchised'.

Example Sentences

1Marx's concept of the lumpenproletariat has been influential in understanding the relationship between poverty and social dislocation.
2Critics argue that the lumpenproletariat is often romanticized in radical theory, ignoring the complexities of real-world poverty and marginalization.
3The rise of neoliberalism has led to an increase in the lumpenproletariat, as more people are forced into precarious and unstable work arrangements.
4Engels' work on the condition of the working class highlighted the plight of the lumpenproletariat, who were often forced to live in squalid conditions.
5There is ongoing debate among scholars about the relevance of the lumpenproletariat concept in contemporary capitalist societies, where the nature of work and poverty has changed significantly since Marx's time.

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