Why did Marx consider capitalism a historically necessary stage of development?

Karl Marx viewed capitalism as a historically necessary stage of development because of its unprecedented ability to transform the world’s productive forces. By fostering rapid scientific and technological advancement, capitalism broke through the limitations of previous economic systems, such as feudalism, and significantly increased aggregate wealth by extending human control over nature.123

Marx argued that this industrial transformation was essential to "unleash" the productive power required to eventually free humanity from the necessity of grinding labor. In his materialist conception of history, society must pass through these stages to build the material foundation necessary for a future communist society, where resources could be managed for the benefit of all.124

However, Marx also maintained that capitalism was inherently exploitative and unstable. By concentrating the means of production in the hands of the bourgeoisie and creating a proletariat that owned nothing but its labor, capitalism created the very internal contradictions—such as class struggle and economic crises—that would inevitably lead to its own overthrow and replacement by a more advanced, equitable system.1256