The bourgeois was a new social class that emerged during the 19th century, between the working class and the ruling class. As they rose, they brought to prominence a different set of values, and priorities than those seen in other classes. As a result, a variety of writers and thinkers created a written commentary, both positive and negative, regarding the bourgeois values and what those values either offered to society or took for granted. Two writers who specifically criticized the bourgeoisie values included Benjamin Franklin and J.S. Woodsworth.
The bourgeois were made up of merchants, artisans and affluent professionals, and their increasing rise to power gave them a unique set of values not present in the previous social classes. Their value system, was generally conservative, and sought respectability. As such, they generally sought after a show of affluence, including excessive displays of high fashion, as a means of establishing, or actively displaying their social status and financial power. They also highly regarded education as a means of gaining both power and skill. They believed in making a meaningful investment, rewarding hard work, and learning in order to do. However, this often meant that the education they provided neglected the arts, nature, and other non-industrial or non-revenue-producing areas of interest because they would not further the bourgeoisie’s overall goal to pursue wealth.
Benjamin Franklin was highly critical of the Bourgeoisie class, believing them wasteful and to ignore substance in favor of vanity. One work that most actively contains this criticism is Franklin’s Poor Richard’s Almanac, the preface to which is titled “The Way To Wealth.” The title itself is a criticism of the bourgeoisie way of thinking. The bourgeoisie held that the way to wealth included careful investment, knowledge and the development of trade. However, Franklin conversely holds that to waste “precious” time is one of the greatest “prodigalities” of man (237).
Poor Richard gives greater veneration to the proletariat class, who were laborers, working at a trade by hand, rather than working as merchants, or members of the bourgeoisie class. Of these he says “Got gives all things to industry. Then ploy deep, while sluggards sleep, and you will have corn to sell and to keep” (237). He also faults their desire to dress in gaudy attire as a display of wealth. He states “What is a butterfly? at best/ He’s a caterpillar dressed,/ The gaudy fop’s his picture just. He warns against spending wealth after “superfluities” or non-essential expenses, and instead encourages downsizing and saving.
That said, however, Franklin largely supports the artisans and craftsmen of the bourgeoisie for their craft and skill. He states: “he that hath a trade hath an estate, and he that hath a calling, hath an office of profit and honor.” (237). It is important to realize that what dries the defining line between those members of the middle class whom Franklin supports, and those he derides, depends largely on their personal labor, and how they use their money, in the face of wealth.
Woodsworth similarly criticizes the middle class, but for wholly different reasons. He notes that the class, in their education, have forsaken the love of nature, and appreciation of its beauty. In his poetry he often derides man’s focus on education that man deems as essential at the neglect of studying nature, and the natural beauty that is to be found tin the word. Specifically, Woodsworth writes, in “Expostulation and Reply,” “Where are your books? That light bequeathed/ To beings else forlorn and blind!/ Up! Up! And drink the spirit breathed/ From dead men to their kind” (ln 5-8). Here, he asks the bourgeoisie where their books are and mockingly refers to them as the source of life, but notes instead that they are just the words of dead men. He then goes on to state that “mother earth” is the creator of purpose and meaning and that thus should receive greater attention, with regard to learning, than books (line 10).
Similarly, in “The Tables Turned” he states “Come forth into the light/ Let nature be your teacher” removing the light from the learning of man, and instead placing it in nature (ln 14-15). He specifically directs the poem to the bourgeoisie in the final stanza which states “Enough of science and of art/ Close up these barren leaves; Come forth, and bring with you a heart/ That watches and receives” (ln 28-32). He encourages the bourgeoisie class to divorce themselves from the science and art that rules them and instead return to nature, which has been abandoned with the rise of the class.
The rise of the bourgeoisie class changed the social structure of the Western world during the 19th century. Previously there had been only the ruling and working classes, however the rise of the bourgeoisie exposed a class of middle class merchants and craftsman who were both highly educated, and affluent, through investment and the running of business. They value education and visible shows of affluence, as it relates to the demonstration of their power. However, many writers and philosophers concurrent to the bourgeoisie rise to power greatly criticized their value system and way of determining value in society. This criticism can be seen in the work of both Benjamin Franklin and Woodsworth.
Works Cited:
Franklin, Benjamin. “The Way to Wealth.” Poor Richards Almanac. Title of Anthology, City of Publication: Publishing house, year.
Woodsworth, J.S. “The Tables Turned” Lyrical Ballads. Title of Anthology, City of Publication: Publishing house, year.
“Expostulation and Reply.” Lyrical Ballads. Title of Anthology, City of Publication: Publishing house, year.
