Final answer:
Marx and Engels argued the bourgeoisie sacrificed the proletariat's well-being, resulting in alienation and worsening poverty through exploitation for profit in the pursuit of free trade, leading to the inevitable collapse of capitalism.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, the bourgeoisie has sacrificed the well-being and economic stability of the proletariat in their pursuit of free trade and profit. The bourgeoisie, who owned the means of production, were driven by the desire to maximize their wealth by exploiting labor. This exploitation resulted in paying the workers wages that were significantly less than the value of their labor. The profits were then used to invest in more resources and to buy political influence, thereby further consolidating power in the hands of the few. The process of alienation was aggravated, with workers estranged from the products of their labor, unable to control their own destiny, and left in worsening poverty. Marx and Engels predicted that the growing class divide and discontent among exploited workers would eventually lead to the collapse of capitalism and usher in a socialist order, where the means of production would be owned communally.