Final answer:
The question pertains to the stability and reluctance to change within the upper class during the Middle Ages, attributed to the threat to their wealth and power due to social mobility following industrialization.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question relates to the reluctance of the upper class to embrace changes that could impact their wealth and power. During the Middle Ages in Europe, social hierarchies were well-defined by a feudal system where land ownership established social status. With the advent of the Industrial Revolution, this structure started to change as new forms of wealth emerged, leading to increased social mobility. The resulting social stratification created a burgeoning middle class, while many became impoverished. This transition from a land-based to an industry-based wealth generation caused the nobility to lose some of its grip on power. The middle class and the wealthy non-noble industrialists formed a social identity distinct from both the working class and the old nobility, often justifying their status through new ideologies such as conservatism, which emphasized tradition and stability.In the wake of the Great Famine, Black Death, and Hundred Years' War, Europe saw the weakening of feudalism and the rise of the merchant class in cities. This greatly affected the feudal power structure, leading to increased upward mobility and changes in living conditions. Roman cities, after the fall of the Roman Empire, experienced contraction and a shift in culture and function, which likely impacted the average person. The elite noble class saw their legal structures weaken over time as wealth generation shifted from land ownership to industry and commerce, making industry and voting rights significant forces in social change.