Difference between revisions of "Proletariat"
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==Origin== | ==Origin== | ||
French prolétariat, from Latin proletarius. Their sole possession was their [[children]], proles; hence the [[name]]. | French prolétariat, from Latin proletarius. Their sole possession was their [[children]], proles; hence the [[name]]. | ||
| − | *[ | + | *[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/19th_century 1847] |
==Definitions== | ==Definitions== | ||
*1: the laboring [[class]]; especially : the class of [[industrial]] workers who lack their own means of production and hence sell their [[labor]] to live | *1: the laboring [[class]]; especially : the class of [[industrial]] workers who lack their own means of production and hence sell their [[labor]] to live | ||
*2: the lowest [[social]] or [[economic]] [[class]] of a [[community]] | *2: the lowest [[social]] or [[economic]] [[class]] of a [[community]] | ||
==Description== | ==Description== | ||
| − | The '''proletarii''' according to the [ | + | The '''proletarii''' according to the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitution_of_the_Roman_Republic Constitution of the Roman Republic] were men without [[property]]. The proletarii were also called [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capite_censi capite censi] because they were "[[persons]] registered not as to their [[property]] which was below the lowest [[census]] for [[military]] service, but simply as to their [[existence]] as living [[individuals]], primarily as heads (caput) of a [[family]]." |
| − | The [ | + | The [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comitia_Centuriata Comitia Centuriata] was an people's assembly of early Rome composed of centuriae (nominally, [[groups]] of about 100 men) who were [[classified]] according to the value of each one's [[property]]. It met on the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Campus_Martius Campus Martius]. Yet this assembly was already obsolete in the last centuries of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Republic Republic] (509-44 B.C.) and had become ill-understood. Latter Roman historians, e.g., [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Livy Livy], not without some uncertainty, [[understood]] the Comitia Centuriata as a means of designating [[military]] duties demanded and [[voting]] rights granted, according to [[wealth]]. A favored reconstruction of this assembly has 18 centuries of calvary, and 170 centuries of infantry divided into five classes by [[wealth]], plus 5 centuries of support personnel. The top infantry class assembled with full arms and [[armor]]; the next two classes brought arms and armor, but less and lesser; the fourth class only spears; the fifth slings. In voting the calvary and top infantry [[class]] were enough to [[decide]] an issue; as [[voting]] started at the top, an issue might be [[decided]] before the lower classes voted. The membership of these five classes were called [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adsidui adsidui]. Excluded were the ''proletarii'', those who did not qualify for any of these five classes because "they had not even the minimum [[property]] required for the lowest class. Their sole [[possession]] was their [[children]], proles; hence the name. The proletarii were the poorest stratum of the [[population]]." One of the five support centuries, however, possibly was composed of proletarii (who were usually free of [[military]] service, except in the case of emergencies). |
| − | In time the number of Roman [[family]] [[farmers]] became significantly reduced, perhaps due to overreaching or corruption by the Senate [[oligarchy]] following the [ | + | In time the number of Roman [[family]] [[farmers]] became significantly reduced, perhaps due to overreaching or corruption by the Senate [[oligarchy]] following the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Punic_War Second Punic War] (218-201). As a result there were not enough people whose [[property]] qualified them to perform the citizenry's [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_history_of_the_Roman_military military duty to Rome]. The Roman general [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaius_Marius Gaius Marius] (157-86), a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plebian plebian] originally sprung from [[poor]] [[rural]] roots, in 107 first introduced the widespread use of proletarii in the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Army Roman Army], which [[action]] was known as the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marian_reforms Marian reforms].[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proletariat] |
[[Category: Sociology]] | [[Category: Sociology]] | ||
Latest revision as of 02:32, 13 December 2020
Origin
French prolétariat, from Latin proletarius. Their sole possession was their children, proles; hence the name.
Definitions
- 1: the laboring class; especially : the class of industrial workers who lack their own means of production and hence sell their labor to live
- 2: the lowest social or economic class of a community
Description
The proletarii according to the Constitution of the Roman Republic were men without property. The proletarii were also called capite censi because they were "persons registered not as to their property which was below the lowest census for military service, but simply as to their existence as living individuals, primarily as heads (caput) of a family."
The Comitia Centuriata was an people's assembly of early Rome composed of centuriae (nominally, groups of about 100 men) who were classified according to the value of each one's property. It met on the Campus Martius. Yet this assembly was already obsolete in the last centuries of the Republic (509-44 B.C.) and had become ill-understood. Latter Roman historians, e.g., Livy, not without some uncertainty, understood the Comitia Centuriata as a means of designating military duties demanded and voting rights granted, according to wealth. A favored reconstruction of this assembly has 18 centuries of calvary, and 170 centuries of infantry divided into five classes by wealth, plus 5 centuries of support personnel. The top infantry class assembled with full arms and armor; the next two classes brought arms and armor, but less and lesser; the fourth class only spears; the fifth slings. In voting the calvary and top infantry class were enough to decide an issue; as voting started at the top, an issue might be decided before the lower classes voted. The membership of these five classes were called adsidui. Excluded were the proletarii, those who did not qualify for any of these five classes because "they had not even the minimum property required for the lowest class. Their sole possession was their children, proles; hence the name. The proletarii were the poorest stratum of the population." One of the five support centuries, however, possibly was composed of proletarii (who were usually free of military service, except in the case of emergencies).
In time the number of Roman family farmers became significantly reduced, perhaps due to overreaching or corruption by the Senate oligarchy following the Second Punic War (218-201). As a result there were not enough people whose property qualified them to perform the citizenry's military duty to Rome. The Roman general Gaius Marius (157-86), a plebian originally sprung from poor rural roots, in 107 first introduced the widespread use of proletarii in the Roman Army, which action was known as the Marian reforms.[1]
