In a Populous Market Town, a Small Number of Merchants

In a populous market town, a small number of merchants and landholders have accumulated wealth and extreme stratification arises. Which is the best explanation for this?

A) Economic relations are based on the exchange of money rather than reciprocity.
B) Wealth is often acquired by those who have great skill with money.
C) The absence of legal controls allowed a small subset of the population to control the market.
D) The absence of central banks prevented the redistribution of wealth.