Discuss the impact of the Enlightenment on the development of modern democratic principles and institutions.

The Enlightenment promoted rationalism, individualism, and human rights, inspiring movements for political and social reform and laying the groundwork for modern democratic ideals such as equality, liberty, and the rule of law. Key thinkers like John Locke, Montesquieu, and Rousseau contributed to the emergence of constitutional governments and representative democracies in Europe and America.