Editing Bourgeoisie (section)

===From progress to reaction (Marxist view)===
According to the Marxist view of history, during the 17th and 18th centuries, the bourgeoisie were the politically [[Progressivism|progressive]] social class who supported the principles of [[Constitution|constitutional government]] and of [[natural right]], against the [[Law of Privilege]] and the claims of [[Divine right of kings|rule by divine right]] that the [[nobility|nobles]] and [[prelate]]s had autonomously exercised during the feudal order.

The [[English Civil War]] (1642–1651), the [[American War of Independence]] (1775–1783), and [[French Revolution]] (1789–1799) were partly motivated by the desire of the bourgeoisie to rid themselves of the feudal and royal encroachments on their personal liberty, commercial prospects, and the ownership of [[property]]. In the 19th century, the bourgeoisie propounded [[liberalism]], and gained political rights, religious rights, and [[civil liberties]] for themselves and the lower social classes; thus the bourgeoisie was a progressive philosophic and political force in Western societies.

After the [[Industrial Revolution]] (1750–1850), by the mid-19th century the great expansion of the bourgeoisie social class caused its [[social stratification|stratification]] – by business activity and by economic function – into the {{lang|fr|haute bourgeoisie}} (bankers and industrialists) and the {{lang|fr|[[petite bourgeoisie]]}} ([[Tradesman|tradesmen]] and [[white-collar worker]]s).{{sfn|Siegrist|2001|p=785}} Moreover, by the end of the 19th century, the capitalists (the original bourgeoisie) had ascended to the upper class, while the developments of technology and [[Trade (occupation)|technical occupations]] allowed the rise of working-class men and women to the lower strata of the bourgeoisie; yet the social progress was incidental.