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Sejms And Sejmiks Of Lithuanian Duchy As Communication Tool Of Xvi Century

2018; Linguagem: Inglês

10.15405/epsbs.2018.02.79

2357-1330

Regina-Elizaveta Kudriavtceva Kudriavtceva,

Historical Influence and Diplomacy

The paper is devoted to the analysis of social communication of the gentry in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania of the XVI century and aims at identifying its significance for the development of the state. The work is based on the principle of historicism, historical-genetic and historical-comparative, retrospective methods. After the analysis of legislative acts of the Grand Lithuanian Duchy, some features of social communication among the nobility in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in the XVI century were identified. The author has revealed the peculiarities of the socially significant information transferring channels. It was concluded that the subjects of social communication in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania were "szlachta people" as a single ethnic community and a single social group. The information environment can be described as an environment that activates deeds of a nobleman owing to sufficient information. The nature of the information circulation can be described as open because information circulated from the Grand Duke through the sheets to the county regional councils. One can distinguish several hierarchical levels: global, regional and local. The global level was implemented in the discussion of critical issues of national character. The regional level was implemented at the preliminary sejmik, and the local one – in the regional councils work. The regional councils (sejms) were, the bodies that ensured the exchange of social information. Besides, they were a channel of information transmission, regulated by laws and norms, enshrined in the Lithuanian statutes of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in 1566 and 1588.