Discussions about the historical role of the proletariat, its revolutionary nature or complete dissolution in capitalism often show that even among the left, the concept of “proletarian” is rather vague. In one case, all oppressed workers are considered proletarians, in the other - only factory workers. This article is intended to answer the question of who Karl Marx “himself” considered proletarians. The answer to this question is not so simple. Marx, as a true scientist, saw the proletariat in all the diversity of its classical, mixed and transitional forms, even degrees of “proletarianism”. So, let's figure it out together.

This material was published in the newspaper of the Marxist Workers' Party "Left Turn" No. 18, 2008.