The Enlightenment philosophers significantly influenced modern democratic principles through their advocacy for reason, individual rights, and social contracts. Thinkers like John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau challenged traditional authority, arguing that governments derive power from the consent of the governed. Their ideas on freedom, equality, and justice laid the foundation for modern concepts of democracy, human rights, and civil liberties. The Enlightenment also emphasized the importance of rational thought and scientific inquiry, shaping the political philosophies that guided revolutions and reform movements worldwide.