Rather! It was discovered in earlier testing programs, British not Boeing that large electric motors would arc in less dense atmosphere.
At what altitude will they not arc with the insulating alloys (heavy) that we understand?
Twenty thousand was roughly the figure and development proceeded with this understood baseline.
Thus a limitation became a standard on the drawing board for the design of modern airliners.
Hydraulics, not without their own problems of rubber seals, purity and type of oil and flammability overcame a lot of this of course! Hence speedbrakes and hydraulically controlled control surfaces.
Now! If the aircraft you are flying has a limitation for flap or gear extension, respect it as it is likely that it has only been designed and tested to that parameter.
Some of the earlier posters should pay more attention in class and have the wit to understand that whatever they are now, they are not the finished product. Knowledge grows with time.