In what way did the upper class lose some power in the 1800's?

Members of the middle class believed hard work and education would bring success, and that getting ahead was based on effort and talent. They felt that people should earn their money, unlike upper-class individuals who inherited their wealth. At the same time, they criticized working-class people for not trying hard enough to improve themselves. Many middle-class members believed strongly in progress and thought that they were the hope for the future.