Which statement best expresses the central claim of conflict theory?

Society is structured to benefit some groups at the expense of others, so social institutions often reproduce inequality and generate conflict over resources and power.

Society operates like a living organism where every institution always contributes purely to stability and equilibrium, and inequality is always functional without conflict.

Conflict theory holds that agreement among elites and subordinate groups is entirely voluntary and that institutional arrangements are random outcomes not related to power dynamics or structural advantage.

Conflict theory posits that individual personality differences are the sole drivers of social outcomes, and institutions have no role in shaping inequality or access to resources.