Naschrift

Samenvatting

A reply to a critique by B. A. Sijes of the author's book De proletarische achterhoede (The Proletarian Rear-Guard), 1954. The book was a critique of J. Haveman's De ongeschoolde arbeider (The Untrained Worker, 1952). Sijes' 2 main objections are that the author's concepts are unclear and his vision is static. However, in defense it is held that Marx's concepts of 'proletarian' and 'bourgeois' are used not to give a complete vision of social structures, but merely to analyze the position of certain strata which occupy the bottom of the social scale. The 'bourgeoisation' (verburgerlijking) of the proletarian rear-guard is not viewed as a final phenomenon; concepts such as completion and residual groups are used to study social phenomena which are not yet very definite. The hope is expressed that Sijes, who has specialized knowledge in this area, will help to clarify the relevant sociological concepts. I. Langnas.