"The question (and our disagreement), however, seems to be on whether freedom will automatically educate the people." - That freedom is multi-faceted, we both agree. I do not believe freedom will automatically educated people. Freedom plays an "instrumental" role in the achievement of goals - which for me is a very general sense of well-being. That and an environment conducive to progress. As I see it education, educational attainment and the ability to achieve educational achievements are all dimensions of freedom. Critical here is not just the quatitative measurable (what is the education level) but also the question of access (how easy is it for people to gain education, should they so desire). Freedom will not/does not automatically educate people. Freedom makes sure that access to education exists, that people can acquire education if they so choose. Of course, from a policy perspective, this expansion of access is itself multifaceted. On the one hand it involves the development of physical infrastructure. On the other hand, it also involves the dissemination of information on the benefits of education. etc. etc.