According to Marxism, in a capitalist society, those who own and control the means of production (factories, land, etc.) are the capitalists or bourgeoisie. They are often referred to as exploiters because, according to Marxist theory, they profit from the labour of the workers (proletariat), who are not paid the full value of their work. Therefore, the individuals or groups who own and control the productive resources are seen as exploiters in a capitalist state.