Which social process made people capable of criticizing old privileges?

Growth of education and public debate

The governing concept is the growth of critical public opinion through education and debate. During the eighteenth century, literacy, printed books, pamphlets, newspapers, salons, and discussion circles helped new ideas circulate beyond the royal court. Educated groups used reason to question whether inherited privilege, arbitrary authority, and unequal law were legitimate. This did not mean every person became equally educated, but it created a wider public capable of discussing reform and criticizing the Old Regime. Option A is correct because education supplied tools of argument and public debate supplied a social space for sharing them. Options B and C would strengthen inequality, while D generally reinforced court culture rather than criticism.

This is a Class 9 History question. Chapter: The French Revolution. Topic: French Society During the Late Eighteenth Century.