By the end of the 13th century, Crusading had become more expensive. The time had passed when a Crusade army was made up of knights who served under a lord and paid their own way. Economic pressures caused many nobles to seek royal service. Royal armies, therefore, became more professional, and many knights as well as foot soldiers served for pay. Moreover, the rise of royal authority meant that great Crusades could no longer be cobbled together by feudal lords but were increasingly reliant on kings, who were by their nature easily distracted by events at home.
The main purpose of China's artificial islands is not to help fight a war against the United States. Beijing's primary strategy in the South China Sea is to use civilian and paramilitary pressure to coerce its Southeast Asian neighbors into abandoning their rights.
"<span>e. Employers used their wealth to buy unfavorable and often unfair publicity" would be the only reasonable option from the list, since the employers wouldn't do things to decrease worker productivity if they could help it. </span>