Why did English nobles resist peasant demands as described in the passage?

The resistance of English nobles to peasant demands can be understood in the context of the economic conditions of the fourteenth century, particularly regarding labor scarcity. The period was marked by a series of crises, including the Black Death, which drastically reduced the population and, as a result, led to a significant decline in the number of available laborers. Nobles were acutely aware that agricultural labor had become a valuable commodity because the decreased labor force allowed peasants to assert more demands for better wages and working conditions.

As the demand for labor increased due to the shortage, nobility found themselves in a precarious position, where granting concessions could undermine their economic control and power over the land. Thus, the existing social and economic dynamics, where agricultural labor was already becoming scarce, prompted nobles to resist the changes that peasant demands would bring.

The other options do not accurately capture the primary reason for the nobles' resistance. For instance, while agricultural efficiency could affect labor demand, the context of the time was not about increased efficiency but rather about a loss of labor due to population decline. In addition, political movements led by the monarchy could have influenced some power dynamics, but the immediate concern for the nobles was the economic implications of labor shortages rather than