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