The transforming principle that guided social contract theory during the Enlightenment was the idea that legitimate political authority arises from the consent of the governed. Thinkers like Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau articulated variations of this concept, asserting that individuals agree to form societies and governments to protect their natural rights. This philosophical framework questioned the divine right of kings, emphasized individual rights, and laid the foundation for modern democratic thought, influencing revolutions and the development of constitutional governments by emphasizing the responsibilities of rulers toward their citizens.