Enlightenment thinkers such as Montesquieu, Voltaire, and Rousseau greatly influenced democracy by advocating for principles like separation of powers, freedom of speech, and social contracts. Their ideas promoted the belief that governments should derive their authority from the consent of the governed, encouraging citizens to participate actively in politics. They emphasized reason, rationality, and critical thinking, laying the intellectual groundwork for modern democratic systems. These concepts were integral to revolutions, particularly the American and French Revolutions, which sought to establish governance based on equality and justice.