How did Enlightenment thinkers view governmental power?

Enlightenment thinkers advocated for the idea that governmental power should be limited and accountable to the people. This perspective emerged as a reaction against absolute monarchies and the idea that rulers had an inherent right to govern without any constraints. Prominent Enlightenment philosophers such as John Locke, Montesquieu, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau emphasized the importance of individual rights, the social contract, and the separation of powers within government. They argued that governments exist to serve the populace and that their authority should be derived from the consent of the governed.

This emphasis on accountability led to concepts such as checks and balances, where different branches of government would have distinct powers and could oversee one another, preventing any single entity from gaining too much control. In doing so, these thinkers laid the groundwork for modern democratic principles, advocating the idea that legitimate political authority must be based on the will of the people, thus ensuring that power is used responsibly and justly. This foundational belief is pivotal in understanding the shift from absolutism to more democratic forms of governance during and after the Enlightenment.