Final answer:
The correct answer to the question is a) The Edwardian Era, a period following the end of the Victorian Era that maintained its social structures while beginning to embody a new sense of change and liberation in ideas.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term that is applied to English cultural history, suggesting a period where the social and economic stabilities of the Victorian age remained unimpaired, yet was characterized by a sense of change and liberation on the level of ideas, is a) The Edwardian Era. The Victorian Era, named after Queen Victoria, was marked by strict social hierarchies, class distinctions, and a burgeoning bourgeoisie that promoted strong moral values, especially regarding gender norms and sexuality. Following the Victorian Era, the Edwardian Era was a time of relative prosperity and stability, but it was also a time when old norms were questioned and social reforms began to take shape.
The Victorian Era saw major shifts in industrialization and culture, such as the rise of mass-produced goods and the spread of consumerism. In contrast, the Edwardian Era retained much of the Victorian social structures while also experiencing the early stages of modern social changes that would become more pronounced during and after the First World War.