Marx every other line: I concern myself with the capacity of societies to produce what they need to survive, therefore I consider capitalism as progressive in relation to earlier forms of production, due to it's fast development of science, technology, machines and it's specific form of social division of labor, all things that greatly enhanced western Europe's production. In that vein, this fast advancement tends to develop production even further, pointing to a more "progressed" society, if we organize ourselves to that end.

Nerds: Ha! Marx used the word "progress", therefore he is merely a positivist. No, I haven't actually read anything he wrote, why do you ask?