Marx's main categorization was that people are either part of the class of bourgeoisie or the proletariat. The bourgeoisie are those who control the means of production in society, which gives them the power to then control the proletariat. The proletariat consists of those who are common workers, who because they have no power to control the means of production are powerless to avoid being exploited and oppressed. Marx gave short shrift to the middle class, whom he called the petty bourgeoisie or small capitalists. In his model, most middle class aspired to be part of the Bourgeoisie rather than the Proletariat, therefore he had no use for the middle class.
capitalists and workers
Marx believed that history was the story of the struggle between the different classes in society. The opening line of chapter I of "The Communist Manifesto" is "The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles."
Karl Marx thought that the lower classes needed to develop a stronger work ethic and work harder in order to end their oppression. He believed that it is human nature to do as little work as possible and that this lack of work is what made the lower classes more downtrodden.
According to Karl Marx, the warring classes in society are the bourgeoisie (capitalist class who own the means of production) and the proletariat (working class who sell their labor for wages). Marx believed that these two classes had conflicting interests and that this class struggle would eventually lead to the overthrow of the bourgeoisie by the proletariat.
Karl Marx was the philosopher who believed that history was a struggle between classes, specifically between the bourgeoisie (capitalist class) and the proletariat (working class). He developed the theory of historical materialism, stating that economic forces shape society and drive the conflict between different social classes.
The conflict theory of change was propounded by Karl Marx. He believed that conflict between social classes was the catalyst for societal change, with the ultimate goal being the establishment of a classless society.
Communism would create a society with no social classes.
Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels are credited with formulating the principle of class struggle in their works on Marxism. They argued that society is divided into different social classes based on their relationship to the means of production, and that these classes are in constant conflict with each other.
Workers will revolt when they overcome the false class consciousness that blinds them.Aronson, Amy, Kimmel, Michael. Sociology Now. Marx and Classpg. 210. Copyright 2009.
Karl Marx is the sociologist whose conflict theory is primarily based on. He believed that society is divided into factions that compete for resources and power, leading to conflict and change.
Karl Marx
Marx believed the proletariat would triumph over the bourgeoisie. The proletariat is the social class composed of people who do not own or control the means of production; who own only the ability to sell their own labor to such owners and who are generally employed by such owners.