Answer :
Final answer:
The Enlightenment encouraged new ideas about governance that rejected absolute rule and divine right, promoting the belief that governments could be improved by the people. Thinkers like Locke and Rousseau inspired revolutions and changes in government. The overall impact led to a significant shift towards democracy and individual rights.
Explanation:
Understanding Enlightenment Ideas
The Enlightenment was a period in the 17th and 18th centuries characterized by a surge in intellectual and philosophical thought in Europe. It emphasized reason, empirical evidence, and individual rights, leading many thinkers to challenge traditional authority, including the idea of absolute rule and the divine right of kings.
Following the Enlightenment, many Europeans began to believe people could improve their government through rational thought and civic engagement. Thinkers such as John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau argued for the principles of democracy and social contracts, suggesting that authority derives from the consent of the governed rather than divine ordination. This shift led to significant social and political changes, including revolutions in France and America, where people fought to establish governments reflecting the will of the people.
In contrast to fearing that monarchs would always be in power or that all government would be abolished, the Enlightenment fostered the belief in the potential for reform and the idea that governance should evolve to serve the society's needs.
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