What is the main conflict in The Diamond Age, or, Young Lady's Illustrated Primer by Neal Stephenson?

The Diamond Age is a science-fiction novel that anticipates the development of nanotechnology and reflects on its social consequences. The action revolves around three main characters: Nell, a little girl who grows up to become an important player in her world with the help of a "magical" storybook; John Percival Hackworth, the author and software engineer behind the book; and finally, Miranda, an actor who provides the interactive voice for the characters in the book and who forms a bond with the reader through the book's networked interface. The novel takes place on the coast of the Pacific Ocean, near the Asian continent.