In Marxist theory, what term describes capitalists who own the means of production?

In Marxist theory, the term that describes capitalists who own the means of production is "Bourgeoisie." This concept is central to Karl Marx's critique of political economy, where he delineates the struggle between two primary classes in capitalist society: the bourgeoisie and the proletariat. The bourgeoisie are the capitalists who control and maintain the factories, resources, and technology necessary for production, thus holding significant economic power and influence.

The proletariat, on the other hand, comprises the working class who do not own the means of production and are dependent on selling their labor for wages. This class struggle forms the foundation of Marxist theory, which argues that the capitalism system inherently leads to conflict between these two classes.

Options like "Aristocracy" refer to a hereditary class of nobility that historically held power and privileges, while "Clerisy" denotes a class of educated individuals or intellectuals, neither of which accurately captures the capitalist class dynamics outlined in Marxism. Therefore, the correct understanding of the capitalist class in this context is indeed the bourgeoisie.