The Renaissance had a profound impact on modern democratic thought by promoting humanism, individual rights, and critical inquiry. Thinkers like John Locke drew on Renaissance ideas about reason, freedom, and the nature of government to argue for political systems based on consent and representative democracy. The emphasis on classical texts encouraged questions about authority and governance, laying the groundwork for Enlightenment thought and ultimately modern democratic principles. The period's artistic and intellectual advancements also fostered a spirit of inquiry that challenged traditional hierarchical structures, promoting notions of equality and citizen engagement that resonate in contemporary democratic societies.