The Enlightenment played a crucial role in shaping modern democracy by promoting ideas such as reason, individual rights, and the social contract. Enlightenment thinkers like John Locke, Montesquieu, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau questioned traditional authority and advocated for the principles of liberty, equality, and justice. Their writings emphasized the natural rights of individuals and the idea that governments should be formed with the consent of the governed. This intellectual movement laid the groundwork for revolutionary ideas that fueled democratic movements in Europe and the Americas, ultimately leading to the establishment of democratic institutions and principles that influence contemporary governance.