Final answer:
Ludwig Gumplowicz theorized that society is shaped primarily by war and conquest, leading to states shaped by cultural and ethnic conflicts.
Step-by-step explanation:
Ludwig Gumplowicz, a Polish-Austrian sociologist, expanded on Karl Marx's ideas, proposing that society is shaped by war and conquest. He theorized that it was cultural and ethnic conflicts that led to the formation of states, defined by the dominance of one group over others. This concept implicates the struggle for power as a defining force in establishing societal structures and governing hierarchies.
In comparison, other sociological theories such as those proposed by Max Weber acknowledged not only the economic inequalities highlighted by Marx but also included inequalities in political power and social structure as causes of conflict. The nature of conflict and its subsequent role in the progression and stabilization of society was a subject also discussed by sociologists like Georg Simmel, who analyzed it in terms of group solidarity and social dynamics.