Work

The myth of middle-class proletarianisation: Defining and examining class in Sweden from a neo-Marxist perspective

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Since the 2007–2008 financial crisis, it has been suggested that the middle class is undergoing proletarianisation, with stagnant wages and reduced work autonomy making their conditions more like those of the working class. However, there is no consensus on whether this shift has occurred or on how to define the two classes. This article proposes a class concept rooted in value domination, which compels individuals to the market for survival. While both classes depend on the market, the middle class is defined by their greater individual market power and a labour power with higher value, resulting in higher wages and better working conditions. Using this definition, the proletarianisation thesis is examined in Sweden. Findings indicate a widening wage gap, with middle class wages diverging from those of the working class, and no significant reduction in middle class autonomy relative to the working class. These results suggest that proletarianisation has not occurred, and class distinctions have, in fact, intensified.

Source: Capital & Class

DOI: 10.1177/03098168251341166

Author: Johan Alfonsson

Institution: Halmstad University

Language: English

Topic: Political Economy and Marxism

Subfield: Sociology and Political Science

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Decent work and economic growth

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,650