Final answer:
The proletariat class, as defined by Karl Marx, is the industrial working class in capitalist societies who must sell their labor power to the bourgeoisie (factory and business owners) to survive, resulting in alienation and a struggle for better conditions and rights.
Step-by-step explanation:
The proletariat class, as proposed by Karl Marx, is one-half of two major social classes in a capitalist society, with the other being the bourgeoisie. The proletariat, or the industrial working class, consists of individuals who do not own the means of production and therefore must sell their labor power to survive. They are employed by the bourgeoisie, who own factories, businesses, and production means, and in exchange for their labor, they receive wages.
Marx's theory, outlined in the Manifesto of the Communist Party and further explored across various texts, posits that as capitalism grows, more people become proletarians, selling their labor to a few large companies. This class is characterized by conditions of employment that are dependent on market fluctuations and competition. The result is a form of alienation, where workers lose control over the production and the fruits of their labor, leading to a disconnection from their work and a sense of powerlessness.
Marx believed that the proletariat would ultimately form trade unions and political parties to represent their interests and collectively struggle against capitalist exploitation. He foresaw a progression leading to the formation of a communist party that would champion the interests of the proletariat to overthrow the bourgeois dominance and move towards a classless society.