Final answer:
Karl Wittfogel's theory, hydraulic civilization hypothesis, posits that the control of water resources was crucial to state formation, as it allowed for agricultural regulation and population control, leading to centralization of power.
Step-by-step explanation:
Karl Wittfogel argued that hydraulic systems were the key factor in the rise of the state. This theory, known as hydraulic despotism or the "hydraulic civilization hypothesis," suggests that control over water resources, especially for irrigation in agricultural societies, led to the development and consolidation of state power. Wittfogel proposed that those who controlled the water could regulate agriculture, which in turn allowed them to control the population and ultimately form powerful, centralized state structures.