Jean-Jacques Rousseau, an Enlightenment philosopher, political theorist, and writer, had a profound influence on the intellectual climate leading up to the French Revolution. His ideas, particularly those expressed in works like "The Social Contract" and "Emile," emphasized the concepts of popular sovereignty, equality, and the general will. Rousseau's emphasis on individual rights, democratic principles, and the idea that government should be based on the will of the people contributed to the ideological foundation that inspired the leaders and thinkers of the French Revolution in the late 18th century.