Final answer:
Conflict theory focuses on social inequalities and power differences within a group. Karl Marx was a key figure in developing conflict theory, emphasizing that social structure, not individual traits, is the root cause of social problems.
Step-by-step explanation:
Conflict theory focuses on the social inequalities and power difference within a group, analyzing society through this lens. Philosopher and social scientist Karl Marx was a seminal force in developing the conflict theory perspective; he viewed social structure, rather than individual personality characteristics, as the cause of many social problems, such as poverty and crime. Marx believed that conflict between groups struggling to either attain wealth and power or keep the wealth and power they had was inevitable in a capitalist society, and conflict was the only way for the underprivileged to eventually gain some measure of equality.