Final answer:
Differences in wealth and power between capitalists and proletarians, as theorized by Karl Marx, lead to class conflict, which is a struggle between the two groups arising from the exploitative relationship where capitalists own the means of production and proletarians sell their labor.
Step-by-step explanation:
The core question concerns the inevitable outcomes of disparities in wealth and power that exist between the capitalists and proletarians within a capitalist society. The classical theory proposed by Karl Marx suggests that these disparities would lead to class conflict, which arises because capitalists (the bourgeoisie) own the means of production and the proletarians sell their labor power. According to Marx, this fundamental economic relationship creates a division whereby the bourgeoisie exploits the proletariat, leading to the development of class consciousness among the workers, who may then unite and struggle for a revolution that would eventually culminate in a socialist society, thereby abolishing class distinctions.
Therefore, the correct answer to the question is:
a) Class conflict