Post by August II "Mocny Sas" on Oct 10, 2016 10:44:15 GMT
The chocolate (and more recently, coffee) shops of Warsaw, Krakow, Wilno, and other major cities are buzzing with talk of an essay published under a pseudonym "In exceperit: in contextu servitus 'Aurea Libertas'" or "On Serfdom: slavery in the context of 'Golden Liberty'".
The polemic attempts to highlight the powerful hypocrisy of the Commonwealth in its claims to freedom, liberty, and dignity. It points to the historical context of serfdom in Poland, which dates until only the 15th century, as not being part of a 'natural order' as its supporters claim, but rather an attempt by specific nobles to increase their power through not only the suppression of the peasantry to their will, but to weaken the power of other nobles.
The writer accepts that some degree of serfdom existed prior to the 15th century, but it was in this period where a group of powerful nobles began lobbying and petitioning for the right to tie peasants to the lad they worked. This resulted in legislation being passed making the general servitude of the peasants legal, and allowing nobles to petition regional parliaments to tie their tenanted farmers to the land. In practice only the wealthiest land holders could afford the bribes required to have these matters passed, allowing them to consolidate their power at the expense of minor nobles and smallholders.
The overall impact on the Commonwealth has been profound, not only in matter of hypocritical treatment of Crown Subjects, but in productive imbalances. The Magnates, with their vast serf worked 'latifundia' have an enormous edge over all possible competition. This has resulted in increasing poverty and hardship amongst the Commonwealth's peasantry and lower nobility.
"Should the King truly value the people of the Commonwealth, he should forthwith end serfdom as a system of slavery, and in the emancipation of these people, God's creatures all, benefit all those who hold the Commonwealth most dear."
This publication has naturally created quite a stir, and debates abound over the writer's claims that the ending of serfdom would be an economic boon. Merchants and Burgesses are expected to be largely supportive of the notion, as it will allow other productive enterprise to compete more effectively with the grain trade. It will be a harder sell to the minor nobility, but some of the arguments are persuasive...
The polemic attempts to highlight the powerful hypocrisy of the Commonwealth in its claims to freedom, liberty, and dignity. It points to the historical context of serfdom in Poland, which dates until only the 15th century, as not being part of a 'natural order' as its supporters claim, but rather an attempt by specific nobles to increase their power through not only the suppression of the peasantry to their will, but to weaken the power of other nobles.
The writer accepts that some degree of serfdom existed prior to the 15th century, but it was in this period where a group of powerful nobles began lobbying and petitioning for the right to tie peasants to the lad they worked. This resulted in legislation being passed making the general servitude of the peasants legal, and allowing nobles to petition regional parliaments to tie their tenanted farmers to the land. In practice only the wealthiest land holders could afford the bribes required to have these matters passed, allowing them to consolidate their power at the expense of minor nobles and smallholders.
The overall impact on the Commonwealth has been profound, not only in matter of hypocritical treatment of Crown Subjects, but in productive imbalances. The Magnates, with their vast serf worked 'latifundia' have an enormous edge over all possible competition. This has resulted in increasing poverty and hardship amongst the Commonwealth's peasantry and lower nobility.
"Should the King truly value the people of the Commonwealth, he should forthwith end serfdom as a system of slavery, and in the emancipation of these people, God's creatures all, benefit all those who hold the Commonwealth most dear."
This publication has naturally created quite a stir, and debates abound over the writer's claims that the ending of serfdom would be an economic boon. Merchants and Burgesses are expected to be largely supportive of the notion, as it will allow other productive enterprise to compete more effectively with the grain trade. It will be a harder sell to the minor nobility, but some of the arguments are persuasive...
