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The term '''lumpenproletariat''' (trans. 'ragged proletariat' or 'lumpen masses') was introduced in ''The German Ideology'' by [[Karl Marx]] and [[Friedrich Engels]] to describe the lowest level of the [[proletariat]], including [[vagrant]]s, [[homeless]], the [[unemployment|unemployed]], [[welfare]] recipients, and [[criminal]]s. Other [[socialist]] terms for the homeless and unemployed are '''shiftless elements''' and '''social parasites'''.

The term '''lumpenproletariat''' (trans. 'ragged proletariat' or 'lumpen masses') was introduced in ''The German Ideology'' by [[Karl Marx]] and [[Friedrich Engels]] to describe the lowest level of the [[proletariat]], including vagrants, [[homeless]], the [[unemployment|unemployed]], [[welfare]] recipients, and [[criminal]]s. Other [[socialist]] terms for the homeless and unemployed are '''shiftless elements''' and '''social parasites'''.

According to Marx the lumpenproletariat would have little motive for taking part in [[revolution]] and would in fact wish to maintain their class structure, as they often depended on the higher classes. Marx thought of the lumpenproletariat as a [[counterrevolutionary]] threat to the idea of Marxist revolution.   

According to Marx the lumpenproletariat would have little motive for taking part in [[revolution]] and would in fact wish to maintain their class structure, as they often depended on the higher classes. Marx thought of the lumpenproletariat as a [[counterrevolutionary]] threat to the idea of Marxist revolution.