Christopher Martin turns this view on its head by arguing that higher education is in fact an unconditional, absolute right of all citizens in a free and open society. As he argues, a closer look at the value of education in a free and open society reveals that many of the challenges we see in higher education today can be attributed to the failure to recognize higher education as an individual right. Using concepts and ideas from liberal political philosophy, Martin shows that access to educational goods play a key role in helping citizens realize their self-determined goals. Higher education should be understood as a basic social institution responsible for ensuring that all citizens can access these goods.

The necessary corrective, Martin argues, is simple: we need to stop allocating higher education to some, and allocate it to all who choose to pursue it. A readiness and willingness to learn should be the only qualification. Higher education should offer opportunities that benefit citizens with different interests and goals in life. Its foundational moral purpose should be to help citizens of all backgrounds to live better, freer lives.