What were the three main parts of Karl Marx’s theory of communism?

Karl Marx’s theory of communism is structured around three primary aspects:1

• A materialist conception of history: Often referred to as historical materialism, this theory posits that the economic conditions and the "mode of production" of a society determine its institutional structure, such as its government and religion. History is viewed as a series of class struggles driven by material contradictions.23
• A critique of capitalism: Marx analyzed the inner workings of the capitalist system, arguing that it is inherently exploitative. He contended that capitalists extract surplus value from workers by paying them less than the value their labor adds to goods, effectively turning the worker into an "appendage of the machine".241
• The revolutionary overthrow of capitalism: Marx provided an account of how the proletariat—the industrial working class—would eventually recognize their position in the social order and lead a revolution to replace capitalism with a communist system, where the means of production are publicly owned for the benefit of all.31