Rejection of Divine Right

The Rejection of Divine Right refers to the historical belief that monarchs derive their authority directly from God, making their rule unquestionable. This idea was challenged during the Enlightenment and the rise of democratic ideals in the 17th and 18th centuries. Thinkers like John Locke argued that governments should serve the people's interests and be based on consent, not divine will. As societies began to value individual rights and representative governance, the notion that kings rule by divine decree lost legitimacy, paving the way for modern democracy and the belief that power comes from the governed.