As
stated at the beginning, the Enlightenment marks the intellectual beginning
of the modern world. Enlightenment principles have become the basis of
constitutions and forms of government for many countries. Universal suffrage
and equal rights legislation are a direct legacy of the Enlightenment.
Finally, Enlightenment thought led many countries to establish systems of
free public education and put an end to the idea that education was only a
privilege for the upper classes.
