Assertion (A): During the eighteenth century France witnessed the emergence of the middle class.
Reason (R): The emergence of the middle class happened on the account of royal patronage.
A is true, R is false
The correct answer is option (D) – Assertion (A) is true, whereas, Reason (R) is false.
In the wake of industrialisation, new social groups came into existence. This social group was the working-class population and middle classes which was made up of professionals, businessmen, and industrialists. Until the late nineteenth century, these groups were small in Eastern and Central Europe. Abolition of privileges given to aristocratic families, ideas of national unity started gaining popularity among the liberal, and educated middle class.
In 1848, middle classes demanded representative governments and demanded constitutions. Middle class wanted equality of all before the law, and freedom for individuals. The middle class demanded abolition of state imposed restrictions on the movement of capital and goods. Middle class wanted freedom of markets.