What Was One of the New Elements in Renaissance Italian

What was one of the new elements in Renaissance Italian city-state politics?

A) The preference for using fear rather than piety as a basis of government.
B) Using a professional army of mercenaries to control the peasants.
C) The concept of an absolute monarchy who ruled with divine approval.
D) The organized collection of taxes using government agents.
E) The concept of a secular state that existed independently of both ruler and ruled.