The hard flat plates of keratin that cover the tips of the fingers and toes are the:

the trilobite is used as an index fossil for various geologic time periods as specific types of the trilobites were present in different geological time periods. they are a group of marine arthropods belonging to the class of trilobita.

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.