Indicates a specific social and economic group often involved in small-scale commerce or ownership. The petty bourgeois shop owners were prime targets for the new tax legislation.
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Not Wealthy
Suggests modest wealth, neither poor nor rich, usually self-employed or owning small enterprises. She prided herself on her petty bourgeois success, owning a little florist shop.
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Cultural Context
Often used in a historical or political context to analyze class dynamics within society. The revolution was sparked by the dissatisfaction of the petty bourgeois and workers alike.