Final answer:
Karl Marx theory of social stratification is based on the conflict between bourgeoisie capitalists, who own the means of production, and proletariats, who perform the labor. He predicted that this conflict would lead to the collapse of capitalism and the rise of a classless socialist society.
Step-by-step explanation:
The theory of social stratification, as proposed by Karl Marx, centers around two main social groups within a capitalist society: the bourgeoisie and the proletariat. Marx believed the economy acts as the base that shapes society’s characteristics, with the bourgeois capitalists owning the means of production, and the proletariats, or workers, performing labor to produce goods. This creates an inherent conflict as capitalists seek to maximize profits often at the expense of workers’ welfare, resulting in social inequality and eventual oppression of the lower class. Marx predicted that such class struggles would lead to the collapse of capitalism and the rise of socialism, where the public would own the means of production, leading to a classless society.