Which of the thinkers emphasized the rights of common men as opposed to the exclusive rights of the elite?

One of the thinkers who emphasized the rights of common men as opposed to the exclusive rights of the elite was Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Rousseau believed in the concept of popular sovereignty, where political power should reside with the people as a whole rather than a select few. He argued for the equality of all individuals and the importance of their collective will in shaping the government. Rousseau's ideas greatly influenced the French Revolution and subsequent democratic movements.