Examining the Relationship between Postsecondary Education and Economic Freedom and Justice

The notion of individual freedom is valued by virtually all social, economic, and political belief systems. To be sure, how it is defined is heavily contested, it is never valued without limits (i.e., it is not an absolute value that trumps all other values), and it is less central to some moral and political philosophies than others. However it is defined, individual economic freedom is a core aspect of economic justice. By advancing individual economic freedom, education--including postsecondary education--can advance economic justice, insofar as it also reduces socioeconomic disparities. It is likely that income, wealth, and class gaps will always exist--and income and wealth gaps may be acceptable insofar they are no more than what is necessary to create incentives for socially desirable activity. To be sure, income and wealth gaps as they exist today in the U.S. are extreme and harmful and must be shrunk to more justified and socially beneficial levels--and some gaps, like those by race, are simply unjustifiable. To better understand how postsecondary education affects economic freedom and justice, this paper first outlines the interplay between freedom, justice, and education, with particular attention given to the capabilities approach framework. It then discusses potential indicators for guiding and evaluating practical implementation of this framework. In doing so, this paper contributes to philosophical, measurement, and policy considerations for defining and measuring postsecondary value, especially for undergraduate credential attainment.