Ongxiwankulu

Ongxiwankulu yisigaba somphakathi, esilingana nesigaba esiphezulu kanye nesigaba esimaphakathi somphakathi. Bahlukaniswa, ngokuphambene, nesigaba sabasebenzi ngobunjinga babo, kanye nempahla abanayo ngokwesiko nangokwemali. Babuye bahlukaniswe ngezigaba, esincane  (petite), esiphakathi (moyenne), esikhulu (grande), esiphezulu (haute), nesanguna (ancienne) futhi zizonke zibizwa ngokuthi "ongxiwankulu".

Ongxiwankulu ngomqondo wendabuko yabo, bahlobene eduze nokuba khona kwezidlavela (cities), eziqashelwa imithetho yasemanxulumeni (e.g., imithetho yemikhandlusidlidli, amalungelo esidlidli, nomthetho wesidlidli waseJalimani), ngakho babengekho ongxiwankulu ngaphandle kwezakhamuzi zasesidlaveleni.

Kunjulalwazi ka-Marx, ongxiwankulu bayisigaba somphakathi esaba ngabanikazi bezinsiza zokukhiqiza ngesikhathi kuvela izimboni zesimanje futhi bayisigaba iminako yabo yomphakathi kuyinani lempahla nokulondolozwa kwentshahla (capital) ukuze baqinisekise ukungapheli kobukhulu babo kwezomnotho emphakathini.