The term bourgeois originated in medieval France, where it denoted an inhabitant of a walled town. Its overtones became important in the 18th century, when the middle class of professionals, manufacturers, and their literary and political allies began to demand an influence in politics consistent with their economic status. Marx was one of many thinkers who treated the French Revolution as a revolution of the bourgeois.

Source: Britannica

I was in an art gallery and so confused about the use of the term with respect to art contemporary to the French Revolution. So I looked it up lol

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] [S] 9 points 2 months ago

I did a little searching and found a website that had all sorts of interesting info, but didn't dig into sources/validity etc. Apparently:

  • sometimes commoners would be recruited into joining the siege
  • it was common to plunder the countryside to starve the city
  • sometimes commoners got compensation for being plundered or harmed.
  • source
  • parent