In 1984 society, there are the party members and the lower class. What is this lower class called?

The story behind the answer

In George Orwell’s 1984, the lower class is called the proletariat, usually shortened to “proles.”

The proles make up the vast majority of Oceania’s population, while the Inner and Outer Parties control political life. The Party largely ignores the proles because it considers them politically unaware and incapable of organizing a serious rebellion. They retain more personal freedoms than Party members, but live in poverty and are excluded from power.

“Working class” describes the proles, but “proles” is the novel’s specific canonical term. “Peasants” and “scum” are not the society’s official class name.

Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Aug. 2026

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