The people involved in the enlightenment saw the government that was happening around them and wanted it changed. Instead of having one monarch that ruled everything, they wanted a system of checks and balances (that can be seen in democracy). In terms of law. Beccaria wanted punishments to be less brutal for crimes and I can't really remember who it was that said if you go by the general will then you'll be free. Economic wise, most if not all enlightened people wanted the government to stay away from economics. It wasn't until the Great Depression in America that the government actually got involved in economics. They thought that the government was only for the army, the police, and maintaining public works.