How can Marxist theory connect changes in production with class conflict?

Marxist theory connects changes in production to class conflict through the framework of historical materialism. According to this view, the economic structure of society—the "real foundation"—is composed of the material forces of production (tools, technology, and raw materials) and the social relations of production (the division of labor and property arrangements).12

As knowledge and technology evolve, the material forces of production change, eventually becoming incompatible with existing social relations. This contradiction creates tension within the economic base, as the old social order can no longer accommodate the new methods of production.132

This structural friction manifests as class struggle, where the class that owns the means of production (such as the bourgeoisie under capitalism) clashes with the class that provides the labor (the proletariat). Individuals become conscious of these underlying economic conflicts through the legal, political, and ideological "superstructure" of society. Ultimately, Marx argued that these contradictions drive historical change, as the oppressed class eventually seeks to replace the existing system with a new mode of production that resolves the material conflict.132