Merriman's History of Modern Europe: Response Question the Third

3. Explain the terms: "popolo grasso", "mediocri", and "popolo minuto".

Popolo Grasso referred to the high or upper class of Italian city-states. It literally means 'the fat people' describing both their figure and their bank accounts. These usually held most political power due to their financial power.

The Mediocri refers to the middle class, or at least whatever form of it Italian states had at that time. These people often worked in trade as merchants.

The lower class was referred to as popolo minuto, meaning 'little people'. These people had almost no socio-economic power whatsoever and often relied on papal power for survival.