What role did the szlachta play in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth?

In the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, the szlachta (gentry) functioned as the dominant political class, comprising roughly 8–10 percent of the population. They viewed the state as the embodiment of their rights and privileges, championing a unique form of szlachta democracy that stood in contrast to the absolutism emerging elsewhere in Europe.12

The szlachta exerted influence through several key mechanisms:

• Political Equality and the Sejm: The gentry insisted on the absolute equality of all members, from landless yeomen to powerful magnates. This principle underpinned the liberum veto, a constitutional rule requiring unanimity in the Sejm. Any single deputy could dissolve the assembly and nullify previous legislation by exclaiming "Nie pozwalam!" ("I disapprove!").123
• Royal Elections: Following the end of the Jagiellonian dynasty, the szlachta gained the right to elect monarchs directly (viritim). Kings were required to sign the Henrician Articles, a contract that guaranteed noble privileges and allowed the gentry to renounce their allegiance if the monarch violated the agreement.2
• Governance and Defense: The szlachta resisted centralizing reforms, fearing they would lead to absolutism. They often prioritized noble levies over a standing army, which contributed to the state's long-term military and financial weaknesses.42