Light

Working Class

Definition

The working class refers to individuals who perform physical or manual labor for wages, often in industries such as manufacturing, construction, and agriculture. They are typically characterized by lower levels of education and income.

Analogy

Think of the working class like the engine of a car. It's not always visible from the outside, but it's doing most of the hard work that keeps everything running smoothly.

Related terms

Blue-Collar Workers: These are workers who do manual labor jobs, often involving physical skills and effort. They're like the pistons in our car engine analogy - they do a lot of heavy lifting.

Proletariat: This is a term used in Marxist theory to describe the class of wage-earning workers who don't own any means of production (like factories or land). They're similar to the fuel in our car engine - they power production but don't control it.

Labor Unions: These are organizations formed by workers to protect their rights and interests. In our car analogy, they'd be like a mechanic ensuring that all parts (workers) are treated fairly and function well together.