- by FK
- The Guardian
- Issue #2148
I see the words ‘bourgeoisie’ and ‘bourgeois’ a lot in this paper. I have questions!
Go for it.
I just decorated my flat. I have a nice new couch. Everyone says it’s a bit bougie. Is that what you guys mean?
No. There’s nothing wrong with being comfortable.
Great. I can keep my new couch. So what’s bourgeois?
It’s the adjective of ‘bourgeoisie’. They’re a class.
With nice couches.
Almost certainly! But that’s not what makes them the bourgeoisie. They are the class that owns the means of production. They own the parts of the economy that make things.
So when people talk about our bourgeois parliament and bourgeois press … .
They mean a parliament and press that works for the bourgeois. That’s why there are so many landlords in parliament.
So they’re rich? Was it always like this?
They definitely are, and no it wasn’t always like this. The bourgeoisie took over from the feudal aristocracy.
Took over? So how come the UK still has a king and lords?
The bourgeoisie kept aristocrats on as a decoration, but they run the economy.
So I’m a bit bougie, but I work for a living and don’t have people working for me. I’m not bourgeois.
You got it. Enjoy the couch.
FK
