Caused by wind, affects upper few hundred meters if ocean

mountains can affect the climate of nearby lands. in some areas, mountains block rain, so that one side of a mountain range may be rainy and the other side may be a desert. much of airborne moisture falls as rain on the windward side of mountains.

explanation:

you did not attach the discourse, but i assume it to be the discourse on the origin and basis of inequality among men (the original titile in french is: "discours sur l'origine et les fondements de l'inégalité parmi les hommes"), also know as "second discourse". in this discourse, jean-jacques rousseau emphasizes that private property is the basis of all inequalities.

therefore, what enabled the old regime to maintain as long as it did was private property.