Question

In 3–5 sentences, analyze how the existence and desires of three classes consistently put them in conflict with one another.(4 points)

Answer 1

Societies divided into elites (landowners/rulers), the middle class (merchants/artisans), and the lower class (peasants/workers) are prone to conflict because each group's existence and goals require resources and power that the others control. Elites seek to preserve wealth, privileges, and low taxes; the middle class wants market access, legal equality, and profit; and the lower class demands higher wages, land, and relief from exploitation. These goals are often mutually exclusive—what increases elite wealth typically reduces wages or market freedom for others, and middle-class demands for deregulation can undercut workers’ security—so competition over resources and political influence produces recurring clashes, protests, and reform struggles.