What was the enlightenment and which enlightenment ideas were significant to the growth of democracy?

The Enlightenment was an intellectual and philosophical movement in the 18th century that emphasized reason, science, and individual rights. Ideas such as the social contract theory, separation of powers, and natural rights were significant to the growth of democracy as they laid the groundwork for concepts like popular sovereignty, rule of law, and the protection of individual freedoms that are essential to democratic governance.