Your people are past the peak of their prime. Social & economical decay has begun to set in. The government seems to have become self-perpetuating and careless to the people's needs. Previously common civil liberties and services are disappearing.
Nobility: the Extremely Wealthy has lots and lots of money. However, they view the merely Wealthy as just penny-ante. The Extremely Wealthy own estates the size of baronies (even dukedoms), have armies of servants & throw parties that would beggar most.