Who identified the working class using the term "proletariat"?

The term "proletariat" was identified by Karl Marx to describe the working class, specifically those who do not own the means of production and whose only significant commodity is their labor. Marx's analysis of capitalism highlighted the struggles between the bourgeoisie (the capitalist class who owns the means of production) and the proletariat, emphasizing the exploitation of the working class. He argued that the proletariat would eventually rise against their oppressors, leading to a revolutionary change in society.

While Friedrich Engels collaborated closely with Marx and contributed to the development of Marxist theory, the original identification and theoretical foundation of the concept of the proletariat lies primarily with Marx himself. Max Weber and Adam Smith are associated with different economic and sociological theories and did not use the term "proletariat" in the same context defined by Marx. Thus, the connection of the term "proletariat" distinctly to Marx reinforces its significance in discussions of class struggle and economic theory within the framework of Marxism.