The Cambridge Companion-Chapter 8

People typically associate power in a society with social classes.  In The Cambridge Companion, it mostly went on about how the wealthy had the power and women should marry up socially.  It says, "Austen is often happy to follow the Cinderella plot, and to make a happy ending out of marrying her heroine to a man notably above her in income and social prestige."  In her time, that was the proper thing to do so you would be well off and have an essentially worry-free life.  If you're in the upper class, power and money come with the title, which is why they are correlated with social class.  When you are a wealthy man, most women would have wanted to be with you because you had power.  So, the way I understand it, is that with high social classes, comes more power.