replies to Rakesh, Wojtek, Charles, Chris Anarchism /Marxismdebates

[Charles Brown]

Max is pretty knowledgeable, so may be his question is rhetorical, but the classical Marxist answer is some "variable" measuring ownership of means of production  ; and employing wage-laborers defines the bourgeoisie. Big bourgeoisie own basic means of production and petit bourgeioisie own small means of production. Workers own no means of production, and must sell their labor power to make a living.

Income is not unimportant, but it is not the core basis for defining class. 

For the below, I would say look at the life expectancy of the  bourgeoisie and their families.

Who are the actual people and their families who own are 3% of the population but own 50% of the wealth or whatever the figures are we keep seeing on inequality ?

Charles Brown


>>> Max Sawicky <sawicky at epinet.org> 08/25/99 12:48PM >>>
Charles Brown wrote:


>I bet they don't keep life expectancy stats by class, huh ? That 
>might beget a revolution.

No, they don't. . . .
>>>>

If income doesn't connote class, what does?  What
variable, duly supplemented with the mortality
information, would answer the question?

mbs