Aristocrats wanted to retain their power and wealth by taxing the people and the philosophers wanted to establish democracies that would give more power and wealth to the people. Basically the condition of the life of the people was so bad compared to the decadence of the aristocrats that revolution was inevitable.
The spread of the Italian innovations and art was spraeding to Europe (THIS IS WHAT SET OFF THE NORTHERN RENAISSANCE, IT WAS LIKE A CONTAGIOUS DISEASE OF INNOVATION)
The cities of italy also grew and expanded in size and in power as well
