proles

Proles, short for proletariat, is a term used to describe the working class, particularly in discussions of class structure within capitalist societies. In Marxist theory, the proletariat are individuals who do not own the means of production and must sell their labor to earn a livelihood; their position arises from the ownership relations that define capitalism.

The word derives from the Latin proletarius, and the diminutive form prole has entered English as a casual shorthand for the broader class of workers who lack capital ownership. In modern usage, proles can function as a sociological shorthand, though many scholars prefer the more formal term proletariat.

The term gained notable literary prominence through George Orwell's novel Nineteen Eighty-Four, where the term the Proles denotes the largely unpoliced, economically marginalized majority living under the Party's surveillance. In the book, the Proles are depicted as politically uninterested or unaware, yet potentially capable of rebellion if awakened, a contrast to the Party's tightly controlled inner circles. The portrayal raises questions about power, surveillance, and class control.

In contemporary discourse, "proles" may be used informally to refer to working-class people outside formal political life. The term can carry pejorative connotations depending on context, and in academic writing, the more precise term proletariat is typically preferred.

See also: proletariat; George Orwell; Nineteen Eighty-Four; class analysis.