Sadly, Nephite prosperity leads to pride. This began in the twenty-ninth year with disputing among the people. There are times when disputing means religious differences, but at other times, such as this one, the disputing is about social rank.
It is not a coincidence that the greater prosperity is accompanied by “many merchants in the land.” Trade and exchange of goods is how we mark our prosperity. If all have access to these things, then there are no social divisions. However, when circumstances allowed some Nephites to have increased access over others, that is when the Nephite pride-problem of thinking oneself better than another person came into play.
The fact that there were many lawyers and officers reflect an increasing complexity of life, and therefore greater opportunities to suggest that one’s social position might be superior, based on communal perceptions of that position. Certainly, the mention of merchants, lawyers, and officers in verse 11 suggests that they were important people and were among those positions referenced in verse 12, when it says: “The people began to be distinguished by ranks, according to their riches and their chances for learning.”
The idea that only some were given the chance for learning fits in well with what is known for most ancient complex societies. Education was reserved for the higher social echelons. There was no such thing as universal education, or schools at which all could attend.