Final answer:
Ludwig Gumplowicz's view of conflict theory is most closely associated with Social Darwinism, which emphasizes societal conflict as a result of groups competing for power and resources and echoes the ideas of survival of the fittest applied to social structures.
Step-by-step explanation:
Ludwig Gumplowicz's view of conflict theory aligns most closely with D) Social Darwinism. Gumplowicz, a sociologist, believed that societal conflict is a result of groups competing for power and resources, which echoes the perspective of Social Darwinism where society is seen as a struggle for existence. This view is contrasted by other sociological perspectives, such as functionalism, which emphasizes the interdependence of societal structures, and symbolic interactionism, which focuses on the micro-level interaction of individuals and the meanings they ascribe to symbols within society.
Conflict Theory
Conflict theory, at its core, is associated with Marxism and considers social structures as the outcome of competing groups vying for wealth and influence. It examines broader social dynamics and conflicts between different groups, unlike functionalism which sees society as an organism where all parts work together for stability and consensus, or symbolic interactionism which looks at individual interactions and interpretations.
Social Darwinism
Social Darwinism derives from Charles Darwin's theory of natural selection and applies biological concepts of natural selection and survival of the fittest to sociology and politics. It suggests that in society, like in nature, the strong survive by dominating the weak – an idea that Gumplowicz supported in his views on societal evolution and power struggles.