The process of embourgeoisement is antithetical to the concept of 'proletarisation' and 'class in itself'. Critically analyse.

Karl Marx in Das Capital while explaining class struggle highlighted ongoing proletarisation which means that petty bourgeoisie who are unable to compete with large capitalists will adopt working class occupation and undergoes process of downward mobility.

Due to this proletarisation, pauperisation of working class

due in terms of relative poverty will be more visible.

Growing homogenisation in work due to increased automation will help in developing class consciousness.

Thus, objective criteria of Marx's class will be fulfilled, i.e., class in itself.

fig:- Expected Class-in-itself

Embourgeoisement:- Antithetical to Proletarisation

Ken Roberts argued that in post-fordism era, class consciousness is least likely to happen due to

ongoing social change in form of embourgeoisement. It refers to upward mobility of some workers in capitalist class.

Weber also explained this by his model of class structure -

fig: Weber's class division.

He explained that petty bourgeoisie instead of accepting manual working jobs undergo skilling and became 'white-collar workers'.

Thus, process of embourgeoisement is taking place due to which revolution is just a possibility.

Embourgeoisement - not antithetical

Embourgeoisement often favours those who are closer to the upper class section and not those who are at bottom.

Harry argued that clerical work has become manual due to Computerisation => evidence of proletarisation.

David Glass => upward mobility is visible in immediate upper strata rather than in top and bottom strata.

PC Joshi => In Indian context, land reforms led to embourgeoisement of few and proletarisation of many.