Final answer:
Voltaire believed that rulers should serve the people, upholding rights, freedoms, and using reason in governance, though he did not outline a specific system of rulership.
Step-by-step explanation:
Voltaire, a key thinker of the Enlightenment, articulated that the role of the ruler should be as the servant of the people, prioritizing their rights and freedoms. He criticized the French monarchy and advocated for religious toleration, freedom of speech, and the use of reason in his works like Candide and Treatise on Tolerance.
While Voltaire did not explicitly outline a model for rulership in the same detailed manner as philosophers like Rousseau—who endorsed direct democracy—or Montesquieu—who supported the separation of powers—his satirical works and critical essays contribute to the understanding that enlightened governance must respect the social contract and prioritize the general well-being over the interests of the sovereign.