The influential philosopher who greatly impacted the Enlightenment with his writings on government and society was John Locke. His ideas on natural rights, including life, liberty, and property, provided a foundation for modern democratic thought. Locke argued for the concept of the social contract, proposing that governments derive their legitimacy from the consent of the governed. His work influenced political theory and the development of liberal democracies, laying the groundwork for revolutions, including the American Revolution and the French Revolution.