Autonomy as Economic Precondition

Sor Juana struggled against systems that claimed ownership of her time and output—the convent, the church hierarchy, patronage structures that positioned her as ornament rather than agent. Economic justice cannot exist where individuals lack control over their own work and its fruits. This concept extends beyond wages to encompass autonomy: the right to choose what problems to solve, what questions to ask, what to create. When economic systems extract labor while denying agency, they create slavery regardless of compensation level. Sor Juana's insistence on intellectual freedom was inseparable from her demand for economic recognition. Modern economic justice must grapple with how automation, algorithmic management, and precarious labor mirror historical patterns of autonomy-denial. True justice requires structures where workers maintain meaningful control over their contributions and their futures.