Justice as Restoration and Transformation

Sor Juana's understanding of justice extended beyond condemning individual wrongdoing to questioning systemic injustice—the structures that subordinated women, restricted education, and concentrated power. She sought not just personal vindication but transformation of the systems that enabled her marginalization. Anti-corruption justice requires moving beyond prosecution of individual actors to examining and reforming the institutions and structures that enabled corruption. This means restitution to those harmed, restoration of resources stolen, and systemic change to prevent recurrence. Punitive justice alone leaves corrupt systems intact; transformative justice dismantles them. Fighting corruption means establishing truth commissions, repairing institutional cultures, redistributing resources fairly, and implementing structural reforms that address root causes. Sor Juana's example shows that justice is ultimately about creating conditions where corruption becomes difficult rather than simply punishing those caught. This demands examining power itself—how it is distributed, who benefits, whose voice counts—and consciously restructuring institutions to be more just, accountable, and resistant to future corruption.