aristocracy of labour

English

Alternative forms

• labour aristocracy, (US) labor aristocracy
• (US) aristocracy of labor

Noun

aristocracy of labour (uncountable)

1. Alternative form of labour aristocracy
   • 1973 [1913], Vladimir Lenin, Гарри Квелч (В. И. Ленин – Полное собрание сочинений), volume 23, page 439; English translation from George Hanna, transl., Harry Quelch (V. I. Lenin – Collected Works), volume 19, translation of original in Russian, 1977, page 370:

     This aristocracy of labour, which at that time earned tolerably good wages, boxed itself up in narrow, self-interested craft unions, and isolated itself from the mass of the proletariat, while in politics it supported the liberal bourgeoisie.

     [original: Эта рабочая аристократия, имевшая тогда сносные заработки, замкнулась в узкие, своекорыстно-цеховые, союзы, отделившись от массы пролетариата и будучи в политике на стороне либеральной буржуазии.]

     Eta rabočaja aristokratija, imevšaja togda snosnyje zarabotki, zamknulasʹ v uzkije, svojekorystno-cexovyje, sojuzy, otdelivšisʹ ot massy proletariata i buduči v politike na storone liberalʹnoj buržuazii.

   • 1996, Colin Ward, “Anarchy and a Plausible Future”, in Anarchy in Action, 2nd edition, page 16:

     One of the possibilities they [Jonathan Gershuny and Ray Pahl] see is of a dual labour market: a high-pay, high technology, aristocracy of labour and a low-wage, low-skill sector, and beyond both the mafiosi of big bosses and little crooks.