Final answer:
Enlightenment thinkers introduced revolutionary ideas such as rationalism, empiricism, progressivism, and cosmopolitanism. These principles led to the advocacy of individual rights, separation of powers, and the rejection of monarchic absolutism, influencing the French Revolution and the formation of democratic governments.
Step-by-step explanation:
Main Enlightenment ideas were highly influential during the 18th century particularly impacting the French Revolution. These ideas included rationalism, the belief in reason as the primary source of authority and legitimacy, and empiricism, which emphasized knowledge derived from sensory experience. Additionally, progressivism introduced the belief that society could continually improve through the application of reason and science, whereas cosmopolitanism emphasized a global citizenship and perspective in contrast to provincial thinking. The Enlightenment also brought about concepts like anthropocentrism and scientism, which prioritized human perspective and scientific methods as means to genuine knowledge.
In politics, philosophers like John Locke advocated for the natural rights of individuals to liberty and property, suggesting that governments should protect these rights and that citizens had the right to overthrow governing bodies that fail to do so. Baron de Montesquieu proposed the separation of powers within a government, influencing modern democratic systems, including the constitution of the United States. Furthermore, the breakdown of absolutism fostered by these revolutionary ideas was evident in the challenges to the divine right of kings, as noted by Rousseau in 'The Social Contract.'
The concepts of Liberté, égalité, et fraternité (liberty, equality, and brotherhood) became the rallying cry of the French Revolution, signaling the deep penetration of Enlightenment principles into society and marking a shift in the understanding of human rights and the structure of political power.