Hitherto, every form of society has been based . . on the antagonism of oppressing and oppressed classes. but in order to oppress a class, certain conditions must be assured to it under which it can, at least, continue its slavish existence. the modern laborer, on the contrary, instead of rising with the progress of industry, sinks deeper and deeper below the conditions of existence of his own class. he becomes a pauper . . and here it becomes evident, that the bourgeoisie is unfit any longer to be the ruling class in society. . it is unfit to rule because it is incompetent to assure an existence to its slave within his slavery, because it cannot letting him sink into such a state, that it has to feed him, instead of being fed by him. —karl marx and frederick engles, the communist manifesto, 1848

the authors argued that the bourgeoisie were unfit to rule because the laborers

a. were slaves.

b. were sinking into poverty.

c. were feeding the middle class.

d. wanted to rule themselves.