Enlightenment can be considered as an outcome of Scientific Revolution.
The idea that human reason can alleviate the social conditions gave way to the obsession of the Enlightenment thinkers on the ideal form of government.
Political despotism and religious dogmatism challenged.
John Locke: Two Treatises on Government, legitimation of the English constitutional monarchy.
Montesquieu, the principle of division of powers: legislative, executive, judicial
Voltaire, "enlightened despotism", society ruled by a king who is attached to the principles of Enlightenment and advised by a group of philosophers.
Rousseau, Social Contract,
Encyclopedia, supervised by Denis Diderot and Jean Le Rond d'Alembert, claimed to encompass information on all branches on knowledge, systematically classified. Knowledge ceased to be acquired through an intermediary such as a priest.
