How did Karl Marx explain transitions between stages of society?

Karl Marx explained the transition between stages of society through his theory of historical materialism. He argued that history is driven by the material and economic conditions of an age, specifically the way humans produce the means of their subsistence.12

Each historical stage—such as ancient slave society, feudalism, and capitalism—is defined by its specific social relations of production and the division of labor. Transitions occur because of internal contradictions: as technology and the forces of production evolve, the existing social and political institutions become "fetters" that inhibit further development.132

These contradictions manifest as class struggles between the ruling class, which owns the means of production, and the exploited working class. When these tensions reach an extreme point, they trigger a revolutionary upheaval that overthrows the old order and establishes a new stage. Marx viewed this process as a necessary, dialectical movement toward the eventual establishment of communism, where class antagonisms would be resolved and the free development of each individual would become the condition for the free development of all.134