Lumpenproletariat

Lumpenproletariat (/ˌlʌmpənproʊlɪˈtɛəriət/) is a term used primarily by Marxist theorists to describe the underclass devoid of class consciousness.Coined by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels in the 1840s, they used it to refer to the "unthinking" lower strata of society exploited by reactionary and counter-revolutionary forces, particularly in the context of the revolutions of 1848. They dismissed its revolutionary potential and contrasted it with the proletariat. Among other groups criminals, vagabonds, and sex workers are usually included in this category.