Alternatywne wizje porządku społeczno-politycznego w staropolskiej publicystyce za panowania Zygmunta III Wazy

Abstract Alternative views of the socio-political order in Old Polish commentary during the reign of Sigismund III Vasa The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was based on the equality of the nobility. Equal access to dignity and offices meant on the one hand the exclusion of discrimination within the nobility, and on the other it was based on the exclusion and limitation of the rights of the commoners. The Polish nobility was not divided, as was the case in other European countries, into lower and higher classes, and equality between the nobles distinguished in faith was guaranteed by the Warsaw Confederation in 1573. At the same time, the nobles were distinguished from the common people not only by political rights, but also by political and legal privileges, such as the right to import goods from abroad without paying duties or the difference in the penalty for murder.The end of the 16th century brought a reflection on the problems of the Polish-Lithuanian socio-political system. There were voices of criticism concerning the fundamental institutions of the Polish Republic, such as the Sejm and free election of the king. Krzysztof Warszewicki in his dialogues and treatises and Piotr Skarga and other preachers in their religious works denounced not only the moral flaws of the Polish nobility, but also bad laws and malfunctioning institutions. They contrasted the interfaith identity of the nobility with a community based on a common religion, language, homeland and king. The monarch was a central figure in this vision, bringing secular and spiritual unity.The importance of nobility equality is highlighted in this period in the context of disputes between those distinguished in faith. Dissidents resisted attempts to purge them from public space by referring to common noble freedoms. In turn, writers such as Krzysztof Warszewickiand Piotr Skarga combined their critical views on socio-political relations with beliefs in line with the Counter-Reformation that there was no place for non-Catholics in the public sphere. Their common denominator was to undermine the noble community as the main point of reference and to propose alternatives, such as a common homeland and religion.