proletariat

In Marxist theory, those classes in society that possess no property, and therefore depend on the sale of their labour or expertise (as opposed to the capitalists or bourgeoisie, who own the means of production, and the petty bourgeoisie, or working small-property owners). They are usually divided into the industrial, agricultural, and intellectual proletariat.

The term proletarius was traditionally applied by Servius Tullius to the poorest class of Roman citizens, whose only wealth was their offspring (proles).

In Marxist social theory the proletariat denotes those with no capital, forced to sell their labour to others. They will eventually form the revolutionary class that will overthrow capitalism.