Final answer:
Enlightenment political ideals included natural rights, autonomy of the middle class, and the preference for constitutional over divine-right monarchy, each promoting individual freedoms, democratic principles, and a challenge to the traditional social and political order.
Step-by-step explanation:
Three Enlightenment political ideals mentioned by Anthony Pagden that he associates with the modernizing empires of the 18th century self-governing republics include the emphasis on natural rights, the rise of autonomy within the middle class, and the belief in constitutional governments over divine-right monarchies.
Natural rights, as expressed by thinkers like John Locke, asserted that individuals inherently possess the rights to life, liberty, and property and that any government must protect these rights. The growth of the middle class's economic power led to their demand for greater political autonomy and influence, contrasting with the privileges of the nobility and dominance of the Church. The Enlightenment also advocated for constitutional government, promoting the idea that legitimate political authority derives from a legal framework and the consent of the governed rather than from divine sanction or hereditary succession.