The Right to Learn as Political Freedom

Sor Juana had no formal schooling yet became the most learned person in Mexico through determined self-education. She argued that denying women education was a form of theft—stealing their potential and agency. Learning is political because it enables you to manage property, negotiate contracts, understand law, and resist exploitation. Libertarian justice requires that no group be systematically prevented from acquiring knowledge needed to exercise rights. Sor Juana's model rejects gatekeeping by institutional authorities and asserts that freedom includes the unobstructed right to pursue understanding. Without learning, property ownership becomes hollow: you cannot protect what you do not understand, and cannot exercise freedom without knowledge of your options.