Mińskie sejmiki poselskie w latach 1778-1786 – między problemami domowymi a światem zewnętrznym

Abstract

The text presents the course of the Minsk sejmiks, discusses the parliamentary elec-tions and the content of the parliamentary instructions. On this basis, the att itude of the Minsk nobility to the most important problems of that period, affl icting the Republic as the common state and the common homeland was analyzed. The analyses show there were no stormy parliamentary elections: the election process was rather calm, with no signs of disputes by drawing up parliamentary instructions. In general, they did not arouse controversy, did not refer to ideological or national issues but touched upon the everyday problems of the voivodeship and therefore they were usually accepted. The content of the instructions went beyond the borders of the Minsk voivodeship, but the impassable border was Lithuania and the issues or troubles of its citizens, usually those with the highest status. A pragmatic approach to life and everyday reality prevails in the decisions of the parliamentary assemblies in the analysed period. Ideologically, they cer-tainly did not cement the Republic. Thinking that a member of parliament represents the place from which he was elected and not the Polish-Lithuanian state, at least symbolically dominated in Minsk until 1788.