Anyone who has studied a school history course knows the concept of veche. What is this phenomenon, easy to explain. This is an ancient form of social management. However, this form of relationship between people is so interesting that it is worth talking about it in more detail.
Definition
The word “veche” comes from such root words as “know” (that is, “know”) and “Veda” (that is, “advice”). The popular council was a form of popular council in a tribal society, preserved in ancient and medieval Russia.
Often this form of meeting is called Slavic democracy, when at the call of the bell men came to the square and by direct and open vote decided which prince or governor to put over their city, whether to fight enemies or make peace with them, pay tribute or compensation other things.
Modern historians therefore study the “veche” form because such a meeting of respected men actually managed their community on an equal footing.
Challenges of the National Assembly
The first Russian annals already mention that this or that prince was chosen to reign with the help of the veche, that such a reign of this prince is God's chosen (God and people in the Russian consciousness have always been bound by strong bonds). Historian I.Ya. Froyanov believes that a similar form of government was present throughout the Old Russian state, and not only in Novgorod and Pskov.
Some historians believe that the traditions of the veche were so strong that during the period of the Tatar-Mongol yoke there was a certain dual power, on the one hand, the princes were appointed by the Golden Horde khan, but on the other, the proteges of the veche were chosen for some posts. Thus, it was the duty of the prince to collect tribute for the khan, and the duty of those appointed by the veche was to rule the people. Gradually, the princes took away part of the power of the "eternals" (appointed by the veche), competed with them, which led to the discontent of the townspeople and popular riots.
Who was in the veche? Evening traditions
According to a tradition that dates back to the tribal system, the veche included the heads of large families, as well as the heads of clans. Gradually, however, the “great” and “small clans” began to stand out as part of the veche. Subsequently, the opinion of “small genera” actually ceased to be taken into account.
In addition, veche traditions were used not only in the large city veche, but also in small street ones, where urgent issues were solved for residents of the street or several houses.
Scientists find similarities between the Old Russian Chamber and similar collections of respected elders in Europe. For example, such meetings were practiced in Medieval England (they were called “Withenagemot”), in Scandinavia (“Ting”), in Prussia (the meeting of elders) and so on.
Old Russian veche. What is the “original Russian democracy”?
Some historians also believe that this concept meant not only a completely legitimate gathering of citizens attracted by the sound of the bell, but also rebellious gatherings of people who turned into the overthrow of princes and boyars, who in one way or another did not suit ordinary citizens of the country.
From this it becomes clear that the Russian chamber quite effectively coped with its functions in the era of feudal fragmentation and began to interfere with the development of the state during its centralization. Hence the dislike of the great Russian sovereigns for such gatherings and the imposition of a ban on them (the sad fate of two Russian cities - Novgorod and Pskov, in which veche traditions were especially strong, is known in these cities, was subjected to punitive expeditions both from Ivan III and his grandson of Ivan the Terrible).
Why did the old Russian and medieval veche cease to exist?
All historians agree that the popular veche ceased to exist in Medieval Russia due to the fact that it could not withstand competition with princely power. This form of government was disadvantageous to the princes who sought a centralized state, subordinate to their power. Therefore, the ruthless struggle against such meetings was conducted by Russian monarchs, starting from the 15th century.
At the same time, the small veche that gathered as gatherings of rural communities continued to exist in our country until the beginning of the 20th century. After the destruction of the traditional peasant way of life, these forms became a thing of the past, but at the collectivization stage they were replaced by communist assemblies, etc.
At the present stage of the existence of Russia, strongly modified forms of veche democracy continue to be used in the governance of the country: there is an elective system for appointing central authorities, the State Duma, elected local governments, so we can say that the “Great Chamber” has not completely disappeared, its traditions live in consciousness of Russian people, closely intertwined with ideas about justice and truth.