Sich Rada
Encyclopedia
The Sich Rada was the highest branch of government of the Zaporozhian Cossacks, and based at their center, the Zaporizhian Sich
. It was also called Viyskova Rada (Military Council). The Rada
, a type of governing committee
but with participation
from the cossack members, was involved in legislative, executive and judicial matters.
where rights of individual cossacks were preserved through participation in the Rada.
It was able to decide when to go to war and when to conclude a peace treaty. It elected the officer staff (starshyna
), with the Kosh otaman at its head. It received foreign diplomat
s and determined the course of diplomatic relations
.
The Sich Rada also fulfilled certain economic functions, such as the distribution of the communal agricultural and fishing districts among the kurin
s of the Sich.
Zaporizhian Sich
Zaporizhian Sich was socio-political, grassroot, military organization of Ukrainian cossacks placed beyond Dnieper rapids. Sich existed between the 16th and 18th centuries in the region around the today's Kakhovka Reservoir...
. It was also called Viyskova Rada (Military Council). The Rada
Rada
Rada is the term for "council" or "assembly"borrowed by Polish from the Low Franconian "Rad" and later passed into the Czech, Ukrainian, and Belarusian languages....
, a type of governing committee
Committee
A committee is a type of small deliberative assembly that is usually intended to remain subordinate to another, larger deliberative assembly—which when organized so that action on committee requires a vote by all its entitled members, is called the "Committee of the Whole"...
but with participation
Participatory democracy
Participatory Democracy, also known as Deliberative Democracy, Direct Democracy and Real Democracy , is a process where political decisions are made directly by regular people...
from the cossack members, was involved in legislative, executive and judicial matters.
Functions
As an institution, the Sich Rada was a form of direct democracyDirect democracy
Direct democracy is a form of government in which people vote on policy initiatives directly, as opposed to a representative democracy in which people vote for representatives who then vote on policy initiatives. Direct democracy is classically termed "pure democracy"...
where rights of individual cossacks were preserved through participation in the Rada.
It was able to decide when to go to war and when to conclude a peace treaty. It elected the officer staff (starshyna
Starshina
Starshina, or Starshyna , initially was a Cossacks officership, but in Soviet times was used as the top non-commissioned officer.Among Cossacks and in Ukraine, starshina was a collective noun for categories of officership or a military elite: junior starshina , general starshina , military...
), with the Kosh otaman at its head. It received foreign diplomat
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
s and determined the course of diplomatic relations
Diplomacy
Diplomacy is the art and practice of conducting negotiations between representatives of groups or states...
.
The Sich Rada also fulfilled certain economic functions, such as the distribution of the communal agricultural and fishing districts among the kurin
Kurin
Kurin is a military term that was established by the cossacks.During the Second World War, the basic combat unit of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army was a kurin...
s of the Sich.