Petty bourgeoisie

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The petite bourgeoisie or petty bourgeoisie are the class between the proletariat and the capitalist class. They are the class of smaller scale merchants and semi-automomous peasants. In contrast with the high bourgeoisie or 'big' bourgeoisie, most petite bourgeoisie's means of subsistence are not entirely derived from the exploitation of the labour of others. In Western imperialist countries, the upper sectors of the petite-bourgeoisie are called "small business owners" whereas the lower ones are called "freelancers", such as the self-employed, artists or tutors who are both employer and employee under the Capitalist mode of production.

Most businesses are owned and operated by the petty bourgeois. Big bourgeoisie wield enough economic power that they can turn that economic power into political power at the highest levels, the national level, whereas petty bourgeois can only do so at a provincial or local level. In the United States, car dealer owners are collectively, one of the most organized sub-groups.

Class role

Whereas the petite bourgeoisie, especially its lower sects, can be a progressive force sometimes (such as in New Democracy), it can also be a reactionary force (especially its upper sects), forming the material basis for fascism.