Which term refers to the common people in society?

The term that accurately refers to the common people in society is "proletariat." This word specifically denotes the working class or those people who do not own the means of production and must sell their labor to survive. It originates from Marxist theory, where it is used to distinguish the laboring class from the bourgeoisie, or the owners of capital.

The term "vulgar" can often imply something crude or lacking sophistication, and is not an appropriate descriptor for common people in a societal context. "Elite" typically refers to a privileged class distinguished by wealth or power, while "commoners" is a more broad term that can also describe average people, but "proletariat" carries a deeper socio-economic implication relevant to discussions about class structure.