Classicide is a concept proposed by Michael Mann to describe the deliberate and systematic destruction, in whole or in part, of a social class through persecution and violence. Although it was first used by Fred Schwarz in 1972, classicide was popularized by Mann as a term that is similar to but distinct from the term genocide because it means the "intended mass killing of entire social classes." Classicide is considered a form of "premeditated mass killing" which is narrower than genocide because the target of a classicide is a part of a population which is defined by its social status and classicide is also considered broader than politicide because the group which is targeted for classicide is killed without any concern for its political activities.