Final answer:
Karl Marx, Max Weber, and Émile Durkheim are the main social theorists associated with 'classical' sociology, with Marx specifically believing in the societal change due to class struggle.
Step-by-step explanation:
The social theorists associated with "classical" sociology include Karl Marx, Max Weber, and Émile Durkheim. These foundational figures set the groundwork for understanding societal structures and social interactions. Karl Marx is particularly noted for believing that societies change due to class struggle, positioning him distinctly apart from theorists like Herbert Spencer, who rejected Marx's theory of class struggle. While Herbert Spencer was an early sociologist, he is not typically included in the classical triad, instead known for his contrasting view of societal evolution and the idea of 'survival of the fittest'. Other notable figures in the field of sociology, though not strictly considered part of the classical canon, include Georg Simmel, known for his work on social conflict and the philosophy of money, and George Herbert Mead, who focused on the development of the self through social processes.
It is interesting to note that while Harriet Martineau and Herbert Spencer were significant in the development of sociological thought, and George Herbert Mead contributed greatly to American sociological perspectives, they are not typically placed in the same tier as Marx, Weber, and Durkheim when identifying the main proponents of classical sociology.