THE CONCEPT OF SOCIAL JUSTICE IN THE INTERPRETATION BELARUSIAN THINKERS OF THE XVI–XVII CENTURIES

Abstract

The article is devoted to the analysis of the ideas of social justice in the interpretation of the Belarusian thinkers, humanists and enlighteners of the Renaissance (XVI-XVII centuries.). The empirical basis of the study has been made by the original texts of Symon Budny, Francysk Skaryna, Andrew Volan, Mikołaj Hussowczyk, Michalon Lytvyn, Lew Sapieha, Josef Domaniewski, Andrew Rymsza and other Belarusian thinkers. Such aspects of social justice as freedom and will, equality of all citizens before the law, the public consent, natural law and the law abidance, fair court, morality and ethics are explored in this article. The article also reflects the main socio-cultural trends in the evolution of Renaissance social thought in Grand Duchy of Lithuania, which were expressed in synthesis of the traditional Christian interpretation of the considered aspects social justice with the Western rational thinking of the Renaissance and the Enlightenment.