Marx and Engels are recognized as the founders of scientific socialism. Their collaborative work laid the foundation for distinguishing scientific approaches from earlier idealistic models.

Historical materialism is a key concept in Marxist theory that attributes social change to material and economic conditions. It highlights the importance of the economic base in shaping societal development.

Class struggle is fundamental in scientific socialism as it explains the conflict between different social classes. This struggle is viewed as the motor of historical progress and change.

Economic factors, particularly those related to production and material conditions, are considered the driving force of historical development. This reflects the emphasis on material conditions in Marxist analysis.

Scientific socialism relies on systematic analysis of historical development and material conditions, whereas utopian socialism is often characterized by idealistic visions without such grounding. This analytical basis sets scientific socialism apart.

The means of production encompasses the physical and technological resources necessary for producing goods. It is a fundamental concept for understanding the relationship between economic structures and class dynamics.

Marxist theory defines the mode of production through the means of production, relations of production, and labor power. The legal system falls under the superstructure and is not a direct component of the economic base.

The dictatorship of the proletariat is seen as the transitional phase where the working class takes control to dismantle the structures of capitalist exploitation. It is a necessary step toward establishing a classless society.

Alienation describes the estrangement workers feel when they do not own or control the products of their labor. This concept critiques the dehumanizing aspects of capitalist production systems.

Historical materialism posits that material conditions and economic factors, especially class relations, are the primary drivers of history. This approach underlines the role of socio-economic forces in shaping society.

Capitalism is critiqued for extracting surplus value from workers, an act that represents exploitation. This exploitation is inherent in the capitalist structure, where profit is derived from unpaid labor.

Technological advancements can change the way goods are produced, which in turn can shift power dynamics between classes. This transformation is a core aspect of how scientific socialism explains changes in society.

Capitalist production tends to concentrate wealth among owners while marginalizing the working class. This growing inequality fosters social and economic tensions that are central to Marxist critiques.

The superstructure consists of cultural, legal, and political institutions that stem from the economic base. It functions to maintain and legitimize the existing mode of production.

The Communist Manifesto, authored by Marx and Engels, lays out the fundamental principles and critiques of capitalist society that are central to scientific socialism. It remains a seminal work in understanding class struggle and revolutionary theory.

Scientific socialism views ideology as a tool that the ruling class uses to sustain its power by shaping public perception. By masking the underlying economic exploitation, ideology helps maintain the status quo.

Scientific socialism calls for the abolition of private property in production, transferring control to the community as a whole. This fundamental change is seen as essential to ending exploitation and class divisions.

Dialectical materialism focuses on the interplay of contradictions, particularly class conflicts, as the engine of societal change. It underscores how opposing forces interact dynamically to produce historical development.

Surplus value is the difference between what workers produce and what they are paid, and it is appropriated by capitalists. This mechanism of extraction is viewed as the core of exploitation in capitalist economies.

Scientific socialism argues that capitalism's internal contradictions can only be resolved by replacing it with a socialist system. The proposed revolutionary change seeks to eliminate exploitation and achieve a classless society.