The primary architects of the Enlightenment movement in Europe were philosophers such as Voltaire, John Locke, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau. This intellectual movement, flourishing in the 17th and 18th centuries, emphasized reason, individualism, and skepticism of traditional authority. Enlightenment thinkers championed ideas like liberty, democracy, and human rights, profoundly influencing modern political thought and leading to revolutionary changes in government and society. Their works formed the foundations for contemporary democratic ideals.