Embourgeoisement
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This is a term given to a social process by which a society gradually takes on the values and attitudes of the bourgeoisie. This process is often also termed affluentization and denotes a society that is becoming wealthier and the people better paid and taking on the aspirations and spending habits of the middle classes. It is usually applied to lower class people becoming more middle-class both in real-terms 'spending-power' (wealth) and in their broader cultural outlook. However, it can equally apply to middle class people aspiring to the values of the rich. Though this term has most commonly been used in relation to post-war societies, such as Britain and the USA, it obviously has wider applications both geographically and historically. The term is often associated with Social mobility, and the people 'moving up' in society being termed 'upwardly mobile.'
