Final answer:
According to Karl Marx, the bourgeoisie, or capitalist class, owns the means of production such as land and capital for factories, exploiting the labor of the working class (proletariat) for profit.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to sociologist Karl Marx, the bourgeoisie (capitalist class) consists of those who own the means of production – the land and capital necessary for factories and mines. Marx discussed these ideas extensively in his seminal work, Das Kapital, where he portrayed the bourgeoisie as exploiting the proletariat, the working class who sell their labor. This exploitation was seen as the source of the bourgeoisie's wealth and power, positioning them to continuously enhance their social and political influence by leveraging the profits earned from the labor of the workers. Marx foresaw a future where the capitalist system would collapse, leading to a societal shift where the proletariat would reclaim control, marking the rise of socialism.