The Boundary Between Public Duty and Private Sovereignty

Sor Juana navigated a world where church and state claimed authority over every aspect of her existence—what she could read, write, study, even think. Her persistent assertion of private intellectual space within her public role established a boundary: some domains belong to the individual, not institutions. In libertarian justice, this boundary is crucial. Institutions may have limited legitimate claims (taxation for specific common defense, contract enforcement), but vast territory—conscience, thought, creative work, personal relationships, property—remains protected as private sovereignty. Sor Juana's tradition insists that the burden of proof lies with those claiming authority over private domains; individuals need not justify their freedom, only institutions must justify their intrusions. Applied today, this framework critiques surveillance, mandatory participation in collective projects, and institutional claims to regulate personal life. True justice requires clear, defensible boundaries protecting individual sovereignty against institutional overreach.