Thinking about evolution, how could a species survive in a changing environment?

A species can survive a changing environment by adapting to their surroundings, and genetically evolving to survive. Natural selection helps organisms with only the postive/neutral changes survive.

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.