Answer:
The answer is C.
Step-by-step explanation:
The aristocrats and noble held power because they were the wealthiest in a society and passed that down through generation and kept this power in closed circles. This would ensure their control and reduce the possibility of competition for power. The industrial revolution offered new opportunities to business owners from the middle class to possess power as they began to control land and wealth. They also provided incomes for many people, increasing their influence and standard of living.