Meaning of Lazarus layer | Babel Free

Definitions

An impoverished segment of society that may be forced by necessity to work for a low wage.

Marxism

Examples

“Newly proletarianized workers were available to be exploited, while 'Lazarus layers' of the unemployed kept down wages, making production more profitable.”

“Marx referred to the reserve⟳ army as the 'Lazarus layer' of labor , to be brought back to life when the supply⟳ of labor becomes low.”

“These ruffians, Marx says, “dwelling in the sphere of pauperism,” are nothing but “the deadweight of the industrial reserve⟳ army,” trapped in the Lazarus layers of society and generally not, nor ever likely to be, a progressive political force⟳.”

CEFR level