To answer this question, we need to understand the factors that weakened the Mughal empire and made it less able to prevent the British from expanding their power base in India.
Option A) The local rulers had gained individual power - This option is correct because one of the factors that weakened the Mughal empire was the increasing power of local rulers. These regional rulers, known as the zamindars and the nawabs, gained significant autonomy and control over their territories, which weakened the central authority of the Mughal emperors.
Option B) The emperors were running short of money - This option is correct because financial mismanagement and economic decline were major factors that weakened the Mughal empire. The emperors faced financial difficulties due to excessive military expenditures, inefficient taxation, and declining revenue from trade.
Option C) The empire had been attacked from Persia and Afghanistan - This option is correct because external invasions from Persia and Afghanistan further weakened the Mughal empire. These invasions, particularly by Nader Shah of Persia and Ahmad Shah Durrani of Afghanistan, resulted in the loss of territories, plundering of wealth, and the destabilization of the empire.
Option D) All of these reasons - This option is correct because all of the mentioned reasons (local rulers gaining individual power, financial difficulties, and external invasions) contributed to the weakening of the Mughal empire. These factors collectively made the empire less able to prevent the British from expanding their power base in India.
Therefore, the correct answer is D) All of these reasons. This option is correct because all the mentioned reasons weakened the Mughal empire and made it less able to prevent the British from expanding their power base in India.