Class Struggle Vocabulary

noun an economic and political system in which all property is publicly owned and each person works and is paid according to their abilities and needs

• Communism is a political and economic ideology that seeks to establish a classless society.
• Some people think communism is a good idea in theory, but difficult to implement in practice.
• Communism is like sharing everything with your friends, but on a national scale.
• In the business world, some see monopolies as a form of economic communism where one entity controls everything.

noun a person of obscure origin who has gained wealth, influence, or position

adjective relating to or characteristic of a parvenu

• The parvenu tried to fit in with the aristocracy by hosting extravagant parties.
• The parvenu is always showing off his new wealth.
• That parvenu is such a wannabe.
• In the world of art, the parvenu is often seen as an outsider trying to break into the established circles.

noun a member of the working class

adjective relating to the working class

• The proletarian class is often associated with manual labor and industrial work.
• My neighbor is a proletarian who works at the factory down the street.
• Some people think being a proletarian means you have to work hard for little pay.
• In the world of art, the proletarian is often depicted as a symbol of the working class struggle.

noun a person or thing that has been lowered in social class or status

adjective a term used to describe someone or something that is considered to be of a lower social class or status than before

• The family's financial troubles caused them to feel declasse among their wealthy peers.
• She always avoided that declasse restaurant because she thought it was too tacky.
• I can't believe she's dating that declasse guy from high school.
• His outdated fashion sense made him look declasse compared to the stylish crowd.