Marx and Engels regarded "equality" as a political concept and value, and moreover as one suited to promote bourgeois class interests. In place of equality, and based on his historical materialism, Marx advocated the abolition of class society, as it presently exists in the form of capitalism. Marxs position concerning equality does not indicate a defense of everyones equality in terms of their personal needs. Instead, he refers to the identical social position of men in classless societies. Marx believed that if all property were owned in common, and each member of society had an equal share, it would prevent the division of society into two classes: those who produce and those who gain from the sale of those products. Marxs system provided for equality among individuals and relied on a strong central government to provide for the common good, at least during the transition to the ideal communist society.