According to Marx, history is a series of class wars and the resultant social revolutions. These social conflicts and revolutions began in the ancient times when private property came into existence, in the primitive communal tribal society. The present capitalist society, according to Marx, has certain inherent weaknesses and contradictions which would inevitably bring about its extinction. “The weapons with which the bourgeoisie felled feudalism to the ground are now used against the bourgeoisie itself.
But not only has the bourgeoisie forged the weapons that bring death to itself, it has called into existence the men who are to wield these weapons—the modem working class—the proletariat.” These weapons are the large-scale industry, monopoly economy, growing concentration of capital and the increasing impoverishment of the working masses. Thus the capitalist system and the capitalists generate seeds of their own destruction.
For some time the working classes would continue to suffer and toil under this system. But at the same time, there will be “the ever closer and more elaborate organization of the proletariat.” At last they will be so desperate and also so united that they will overthrow the unbearable capitalist system, first in one country and then in all countries of the world: “at its climax, the proletariat will arise, overthrow the capitalist class and expropriate them of the means of production.”
This will be the final social revolution in world history, for the victorious proletariat will establish a classless and Stateless communist society. The Communist Manifesto proclaims this final victory by a call to the workers of the world to unite in these ringing words: ‘The Communists disdain to conceal their views and aims. They openly declare that their ends can be attained only by the forcible overthrow of all existing social conditions. Let the ruling classes tremble at a Communist revolution. The proletarians have nothing to lose but their chains. They have a world to win. Workers of all lands, unite!”