conflict theory (extra)

Conflict theories in sociology are theories that explain society and its history as being products of conflict between various contradictions in that society. Usually conflict theory just means marxism, though there are other theories it covers such as Mill's theories.

Marx said that capitalism has internal contradictions which will eventually lead to its own destruction and that it would either end in the ruin of everything or it would end up as a new socialist system were the means of production were held in common.

Those internal contradictions are in conflict. Some of those contradictions are:
Relations of production Vs forces of production
Every society has to produce its own means. But there are social relations in production, owner/worker, these come into conflict with the forces of production, i.e. the material basis of society comes into conflict with its relations.

Examples are: Empty houses when people are homeless. Unused factories when people are unemployed. Bailed out banks at the expense of everyone else. The forces of production are at such a level that every one should be well off, but the relations of production, i.e. social classes are preventing the equal distribution of wealth and resources, which could be houses after a property crash, or capital in terms of the factory, or money in terms of the failed bank. This huge contradiction leads to conflict between the social classes.