Proletariat, in the theoretical framework of Karl Marx, refers to the working class in a capitalist society who do not own the means of production (such as factories, land, and capital) and must therefore sell their labor power to the bourgeoisie (the capitalist class who own the means of production) in order to earn a living and survive. According to Marx, the proletariat is exploited by the bourgeoisie, who extract surplus value from their labor in the form of profit, leading to inherent class conflict and the potential for the proletariat to develop class consciousness and ultimately overthrow the capitalist system.