Who were the intellectuals of the Enlightenment? What role did they play in creating the concept of a liberal model of democracy that is widespread in the modern world, including Russia? What participation did the Tory and Whig parties take in the political struggle? Why in their works did they expose the corruption of high-ranking officials and parliamentarians, their incompetence and abuse of power, and the imperfection of the electoral system? What reforms were proposed to improve British society? The reader will learn about all this from a series of essays dedicated to the life and work of the 18th century writers D. Defoe and J. Swift, journalists R. Steele and J. Addison, statesmen the Marquis of Halifax and Lord Bolingbroke, politician F. Chesterfield, writer G. Fielding , philosopher E. Burke and others. The book is intended for historians and philologists, and will also be of interest to a wide range of readers.