The article focuses on the debate about the nature and consequences of the social and political
development of Novgorod the Great in the 10th to the 15th centuries. The author outlines the
historiography of the topic and provides a review of his research in this field in the context of the
modern historiographic situation. We argue that there are well-grounded reasons for the convergence
of different concepts which exist in modern Russian historiography of medieval Novgorod. Whereas
V. L. Ianin and the scholars who share his views dwell on the boyar corporation, which claimed
‘sovereign ownership’ of the land, and I. Ia. Froianov writes about the Novgorod veche in general, the
works of this author give an account of the status and historical significance of the ‘small commune’
inside Novgorod and of other issues, related to it. Refs 65.