Karl Marx developed Marxism theory in the 19th century to analyze class struggles between laborers and employers. Marx observed that societies are divided into two main classes: the bourgeoisie who own the means of production, and the proletariat who must sell their labor. According to Marxism, this separation will inevitably lead to conflict as the proletariat become exploited by the bourgeoisie. The document then discusses key aspects of Marxism theory, such as the economic base and superstructure, and how the ruling class uses ideology and force to control the other classes. It concludes by examining how Marxism has been applied to analyze the depiction of class struggles in literary works.