Embourgeoisement thesis

Embourgeoisement thesis

The Embourgeoisement Hypothesis is the argument that, contrary to the class conflict theory of Karl Marx (1818-1883), increasing numbers of what might traditionally be classified as working class people are coming to assume the lifestyle and individualistic values of the so-called middle classes and hence reject commitment to collective social and economic goals. The opposite would be class consciousness.

Background

Charles E. Hurst cite book
last=Hurst
first=Charles E.
title=Social Inequality; Forms, Causes, and Consequences 6th Edition
publisher=Pearson
year=2007] describes this change to be a result of the post-industrialization of society, in which there are far fewer manual labor jobs, which is the main classification of blue-collar work. With post-industrialization, former upper-level blue-collar workers are moving to white-collar work because of the decreased availability and prestige of manual labor jobs. Even when their actual jobs do not change, their lifestyles based on their job situation often change into a lifestyle that according to Mayer and Buckley, more closely resembles the lower-middle class than the rest of the lower blue-collar workers. The result of this idea of embourgeoisement is that more people are incorporated into the middle-class. As a result, there is decreased class consciousness and declining working class solidarity [cite web
url=http://www.soci.canterbury.ac.nz/resources/glossary/embourge.shtml
title=Embourgeoisement thesis
publisher=University of Canterbury
accessdate=2007-11-30] . This in turn could lead to less group action among the lower class if trying to get more rights or changes within their job field. The topic was widely discussed in academic circles in the 1960s following the publication of "The Affluent Worker in the Class Structure" ISBN 0-521-09533-6 by John H. Goldthorpe in 1963.

Embourgeoisement vs. Proletarianization

The idea of embourgeoisement, which is viewed as a more conservative view, is an opposing theory to proletarianization, a Marxist theory, which says more white-collar jobs are becoming routine and menial and therefore can be classified as blue-collar, meaning a shrinking middle class.

References

ee also

*classlessness
*class consciousness

External links

* [http://www.soci.canterbury.ac.nz/resources/glossary/embourge.shtml Embourgeoisement thesis] entry at the University of Canterbury "Glossary of Sociological Terms"


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем сделать НИР

Look at other dictionaries:

  • embourgeoisement — embourgeoisement, embourgeoisement thesis Embourgeoisement is the process by which bourgeois aspirations, and a bourgeois standard and style of life, become institutionalized among the working class . The phenomenon is said to undermine working… …   Dictionary of sociology

  • Halévy thesis — The argument advanced by the historian Élie Halévy (see A History of the English People in the Nineteenth Century, 1962), that the stability of English society during the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries (when the rest of Europe… …   Dictionary of sociology

  • ТЕЗИС ОБУРЖУАЗИВАНИЯ — (embourgeoisement thesis) аргумент о том, что рабочий класс в современном капитализме принял образ жизни и политические приверженности средних классов. В случае с Англией этот тезис был расхожим в 1950 60 х гг. в ряде различных сфер. Социальные… …   Большой толковый социологический словарь

  • Bourgeoisie — (RP IPA|/ˌbʊ.ʒwɑːˈzi/ or /ˌbɔː.ʒwɑːˈzi/, GA IPA|/ˌbʊ(r).ʒwɑˈzi/) [http://pewebdic2.cw.idm.fr/] is a classification used in analyzing human societies to describe a social class of people. The bourgeoisie are members of the upper or merchant class …   Wikipedia

  • John Goldthorpe — John Harry Goldthorpe (born 27 May 1935) is a British sociologist. He is emeritus of Nuffield College, Oxford. He works in the areas of social stratification, macrosociology, and recently cultural consumption.John Goldthorpe has contributed to… …   Wikipedia

  • List of sociology topics — This is a list of topics covered in sociology. This is a shorter list: List of basic sociology topics. NOTOC A absolute poverty achieved status acid rain acute disease adaptation Adultism affect control theory affirmative action affluent… …   Wikipedia

  • Sonderweg — (literally: special path ) is a controversial theory in German historiography that considers the German speaking lands, or the country Germany, to have followed a unique course from aristocracy into democracy, distinct from other European… …   Wikipedia

  • new working class — A term associated with the thesis that process workers in automated industries, and white collar workers in large industrial corporations , possess the potential to assume the historic revolutionary role of the proletariat anticipated by Marxism …   Dictionary of sociology

  • industrial society — It is important to distinguish the descriptive from the analytical uses of this term. At a descriptive level, an industrial society is simply one displaying the characteristic features of industrialism , as listed under that heading. However, the …   Dictionary of sociology

  • political philosophy — Branch of philosophy that analyzes the state and related concepts such as political obligation, law, social justice, and constitution. The first major work of political philosophy in the Western tradition was Plato s Republic. Aristotle s… …   Universalium

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”