Correct answer: A. Because the capitalist owned means of production and profited from workers' labour
Explanation: The governing concept is the capitalist ownership of the means of production and the resulting class relationship. In an industrial factory, the capitalist normally owned the building, machines, raw materials, and finished goods, while workers sold their labour for wages. Socialists argued that the owner could retain a surplus or profit from the value created by workers, whereas workers did not control production or receive the full benefit of their labour. Therefore, option A is correct. Option B reverses the relationship, because capitalists generally controlled factories rather than giving them to workers. Options C and D are also incorrect: socialist criticism focused on class conflict and unequal ownership, not on its elimination or on universal cooperation.