Educação e liberdade

In this article we explore the notion of freedom expressed in the pedagogical thinking of theMERCOSUR countries (Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and Brazil) during the redemocratizationperiod. We do a comparative study with emphasis on the ideas ofautonomy and democracy in the current era. It is methodologically supported bybibliographic research using periodicals of large circulation in the pedagogicalenvironment. It is concluded that the integration of pedagogical ideas in the region wasdriven by the connection of the teacher union movement, the progressive Catholic Churchand even the conjunction of interests of sectors linked to private schools. The idea of libertywas represented through the defense of private freedom advocated by school owners, andalso defended through the rereading of the New School by the middle sector of society. Itwas also understood as revolution of capitalist structures by the teacher union movement -which proposed the pedagogical process as counter-hegemonic - and as liberation byeducators linked to Freire.