What period is characterized by the promotion of individual rights and the challenge to divine rule?

The Enlightenment is marked by a significant shift in thinking that emphasized reason, individualism, and skepticism of traditional authority, particularly the divine right of kings. Philosophers during this period, such as John Locke, Voltaire, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, advocated for the natural rights of individuals and the idea that governance should be based on consent rather than divine sanction. This intellectual movement led to greater questioning of established institutions and contributed to revolutionary ideas that informed political transformations, such as the American and French Revolutions.

In contrast, the Renaissance, while it did promote humanism and a renewed interest in individual potential, did not focus primarily on rights in the same way as the Enlightenment. The Industrial Revolution dealt more with economic and technological changes rather than philosophical advancements regarding individual rights. Postmodernism brings complexities in understanding identity and perspective but does not primarily discuss the foundational concepts of individual rights that define the Enlightenment.