Final answer:
Bankers and merchants were members of the bourgeoisie (option a) , which was the French middle class. This group's importance grew during the 18th and 19th centuries, as their wealth often stemmed from commerce and industry, rather than nobility. They played a significant role in shaping the modern socioeconomic landscape.
Step-by-step explanation:
Bankers and merchants were members of the bourgeoisie, or French middle class. The bourgeoisie was a crucial socioeconomic group during the 18th and 19th centuries in Europe. This group included factory owners, clerks, commercial and state bureaucrats, journalists, doctors, lawyers, and other professionals who were considered "businessmen." They prided themselves on being "self-made" individuals, whose success was based on their intelligence, education, and competence rather than on noble birth or inheritance. The bourgeoisie played an increasingly prominent role in society as the influence of the nobility waned with the shift from land-based wealth to commerce and industry.
The growth of the bourgeoisie was fueled by urbanization and industrialization, which allowed this group to benefit from the burgeoning and complex economy that was centered in cities. Despite being non-nobles, the prosperous bourgeoisie often acquired land and aspired to political influence, contributing to changes in the social and political landscape of the time.