Final answer:
The middle class, consisting of merchants, farmers, and artisans, became the group that fell in the middle of the social hierarchy during the Enlightenment, benefiting from new wealth avenues and political influence.
Step-by-step explanation:
During the Enlightenment period, a new social hierarchy began to take shape, influenced by the rise of natural rights, the autonomy of the wealthy middle class, and the development of a global economy. As the ideas of Enlightenment thinkers like John Locke and Baron de Montesquieu spread, questioning the power of monarchies and the old feudal system, a new middle group began to emerge that would eventually play a pivotal role in times of change. This group, composed of merchants, traders, farmers, and artisans, began to challenge the existing social order dominated by the nobility and the church.
The middle class, which was burgeoning during this time, found themselves in a position of increased social mobility thanks to the Industrial Revolution providing alternative paths to wealth. As the middle class continued to grow, they became more politically active, contributing significantly to popular uprisings and revolutions. Their climb on the social and political ladder was a direct result of the spread of Enlightenment ideals which emphasized liberty, equality, and fraternity. Their newfound status put them squarely in the center of the social strata, between the traditional nobility and the lower classes.