szlachta

The szlachta was the noble class of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, comprising 8–10% of the population. This group, ranging from landless yeomen to wealthy magnates, considered themselves equal and viewed the state as an embodiment of their rights and privileges.12

Unlike much of Europe, where medieval estates evolved into absolutism, the Commonwealth developed a szlachta democracy inspired by ancient Rome. This system, however, had inherent weaknesses in finance, administration, and military strength, which were often overlooked. The szlachta's insistence on unanimous decision-making in the Sejm, formalized by the liberum veto, eventually led to political paralysis and made the Commonwealth vulnerable to foreign influence.123