During the Enlightenment, philosophers like John Locke, Montesquieu, Voltaire, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau shared important ideas about how societies should be run. John Locke believed that everyone is born with natural rights, such as life, liberty, and property, and that governments exist to protect those rights. Montesquieu thought power should not be held by just one person, so he argued for the separation of powers, with different branches of government to keep each other from becoming too powerful and acting tyrannically. Voltaire supported religious toleration, believing people should be free to practice their own religion without fear of punishment. Rousseau believed in democracy, saying that governments should follow the general will, or what is best for the people as a whole. Together, these ideas helped shape the policies and values of modern democratic societies.
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