The Enlightenment, a significant intellectual movement that flourished in the 17th and 18th centuries, gave rise to various political ideologies, the most notable being liberalism. Grounded in the principles of reason, individual rights, and skepticism of authority, liberalism advocated for democracy, personal freedoms, and the rule of law. Enlightenment thinkers, such as John Locke and Montesquieu, challenged traditional structures, influencing both revolutions and modern political systems. This era's emphasis on rational thought and empirical evidence laid the groundwork for modern democratic ideals and the development of human rights.