Why was the working class considered important in socialist ideas?

Correct answer: Because workers produced and faced exploitation

Socialist thinkers considered the working class important because industrial workers performed much of the productive labour but usually did not own the factories, machines, or raw materials they used. The owners received profits, while workers often faced low wages, long hours, insecure employment, and poor living conditions. This unequal relationship made workers a central group in socialist plans for social change. Option A is correct because it connects workers with both production and exploitation. Options B, C, and D are incorrect: workers had not become kings, they did not generally close industry, and they clearly experienced serious economic and social problems. In socialist thought, organised workers could challenge unequal ownership and help build a fairer society.