Humans have been in conflict for as long as they’ve existed. It can be on a very small scale (conflict between coworkers) or a massive scale (war). How does conflict work? Where does it come from? Conflict theory, which was founded on the ideas of Karl Marx, teaches that conflict comes from competition for resources and power. Unless systems completely change, society stays locked in an eternal battle between different groups, and inequality is a guarantee. In this article, we’ll discuss the founder of conflict theory, give examples of conflict theory in action, and list learning opportunities.

Conflict theory teaches that competition for resources drives societal conflict. Because the most powerful will do everything they can to maintain the resources they’ve accumulated, society will be unequal unless a major change is applied. Conflict theory can be used to examine many topics, such as wealth inequality, gender inequality, and racial inequality.