These are the wealthiest members of society. They "control the means of production," meaning they own the factories, banks, and land.

Marx believed this sub-class would eventually be destroyed by competition with larger businesses. Its members would then become part of the proletariat.

Marx believed that the proletariat class would grow and become dissatisfied with their low wages, eventually overthrowing the bourgeoisie.

Like the petite bourgeoisie, Marx believed this class too would become part of the proletariat as rural workers lost their land and moved to industrial areas in search of jobs.

Communism is a political and economic theory in which there are no social classes and all property is owned by the state.