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Karl Marx and Social Conflict Theory

Social Conflict Theory attempts to uncover how conflicts arise and continue, and the effects that they have on society and the world. Social conflict theory also brings to light how social inequalities are perpetuated in society and how they contribute to the rise of internal and external conflicts. Karl Marx is considered the "father of social conflict theory". Throughout his life, Karl Marx attempted to create a theory of society that would help explain its points of contention and conflict and provide theoretical and practical solutions to these social issues through encouraging social change from within the class system. Marx developed a theory of human nature by explaining that “the whole of what is called human history is nothing but the creation of man by human labour.” Karl Marx recognized some gaps in capitalistic society, specifically how the class system is causing further poverty within the lower class. Therefore, Marx developed the social conflict theory as a means to understand the sources of conflict in a capitalist society. Karl Marx offered a theory of capitalism, in which people have a direct relationship with the means of production, either as owners or workers. The classes of the owners and workers is the heart of social conflict and the basis of the social conflict theory. Marx explains that society, specifically capitalist society, is divided by economic and social status or class. These classes help identify an individuals’ wealth and career. Society is broken down into two major classes: The Bourgeoisie, who own the means of production, and the Proletariat, which is the working-class or those who sell their labour to make a living. Although Marx does state that it is theoretically possible to move up or down in the social class system, it is unlikely due to the increasing wealth gap between the classes that the capitalist society creates. Marx outlined that this social inequality has been caused due to the unequal distribution of scarce resources, specifically power. One of the major conflicts that arises from this social structure is that the real wealth of the proletariat’s labour does not align with the amount that they are being paid by the bourgeoisie class. Through this contradiction, Marx argues that capitalistic society benefits the higher-class individuals (or the bourgeoisie), while the lower class (proletariat) continue to become disadvantaged from the social structure. The purpose of his research in social conflicts is to examine the points of contention in society and use them to explain the process of social change, specifically interested in the revolutionary class conflicts that cause social change. The theory explains that the capitalist society structure is built and maintained in a form that perpetuates social inequality. Marx argues that capitalism causes class conflict between the two groups, which will lead to a social revolt by the working class.