Namely, any person, be it a celebrity, musician, writer or politician (commonly), who nominally espouse the virtues of Socialism and champion the hardships of living a down-to-earth existence among the
disenfranchised and down-trodden of society, yet, actually holiday half of the year on plush islands, accept honours from the Queen and rub shoulders with the affluent over horderves.
These people are generally bleeding-heart Liberals on the outside, relishing the reflective glory of the appearance of being sympathetic to the plight of the working man, yet, when they are confronted with genuine poverty and urban degradation, choose to live far away in the country where the smell can't get to them.
The syndrome can be explained in the maxim, “If you're not a socialist at the age of 20 you have no heart. If you're not a
conservative at the age of 40, you have no brain.", only that a true Champagne Socialist is a person who fails to admit their obvious
contradiction in the hopes no-one will notice they went to Eaton or have reneged on all their radical convictions by becoming a rich git (who won't share their money) by adhering to Capitalist/
Conservative principles.
These people are commonly found in the Arts.
Person A: Did you hear, that
Russell Brand wants to start a Socialist Revolution and dismantle
the status quo?
Person B: The twat lives in an
expensive penthouse apartment in London and is worth millions.
Person A: Yeah, but that doesn't....
Person B: If he really wanted to tax the rich and redistribute wealth he'd start with himself. But, has he fuck?
Person A: I think you are being a little un...
Person B: Nope. He's a Champagne Socialist, Malcolm. He doesn't believe any of that claptrap. He just wants to appear like he does.