Final answer:
The materialist theory of history by Marx and Engels, known as Historical Materialism, posits that economic factors, particularly class struggles, and ownership of the means of production, are central to societal change and the progression of history toward a socialist state.
Step-by-step explanation:
The materialist theory of history generated by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, also known as Historical Materialism, proposes that the primary driving force behind societal change is economic factors, primarily the mode of production and class relations. According to Marx and Engels, history progresses through stages characterized by class struggle, leading to the overthrow of one ruling class by another.
For instance, Marx theorized that the bourgeoisie overtook the feudal kings, thus transitioning from feudalism to capitalism. Ultimately, they believed that the working class, or proletariat, would rise against the bourgeoisie to establish a socialist state, where the means of production would be controlled collectively, rather than by private capitalists.