The Enlightenment contributed significantly to democratic governance in the modern era by promoting ideas of individual liberty, reason, and equality. Thinkers such as John Locke and Montesquieu argued for the separation of powers, government accountability, and the social contract, which laid the intellectual groundwork for democracies. Their emphasis on human rights and the importance of civil liberties inspired revolutionary movements worldwide. The Enlightenment’s focus on reason and belief in progress challenged traditional monarchies and systems of oppression, encouraging the establishment of democratic institutions that reflected the will of the governed rather than the dictates of tyrants.