The Enlightenment played a crucial role in shaping modern political thought by promoting ideas such as individual liberty, equality, and the social contract. Thinkers like John Locke, Montesquieu, and Rousseau influenced the development of democratic principles, emphasizing reason and scientific inquiry over tradition and authority. These concepts laid the groundwork for modern democracies and human rights, encouraging revolutions and reforms worldwide that sought to establish more equitable societies based on the rule of law.