The overarching impact of the Enlightenment on modern conceptions of democracy was transformative, laying the philosophical groundwork for contemporary democratic principles. Enlightenment thinkers like John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau emphasized ideas such as individual rights, social contracts, and the importance of reason in governance. These concepts challenged traditional authority and monarchies, advocating for popular sovereignty and representative government. The Enlightenment profoundly influenced revolutions, including the American and French Revolutions, and continues to shape notions of civil liberties and democratic governance, asserting the belief that power derives from the consent of the governed.