Democratic Confederalism
"Our revolution is a revolution for all peoples—women, men, Kurds, Arabs, Christians, Muslims, and Yazidis."
Democratic Confederalism is a libertarian-left and
culturally progressive political ideology and system developed by
Kurdish politician
Abdullah Öcalan. It is currently practiced in
Rojava, a de facto autonomous region in northern
Syria. The ideology advocates for a network of administrative councils,
elected by the people, that enable
local communities to exercise autonomous control over their resources while remaining connected through
confederal councils. It replaces
private property with
"property of use," allowing individuals to utilize infrastructure and land without converting it into private enterprises. Democratic Confederalism emphasizes principles such as
Direct Democracy,
Environmentalism,
Third-World Feminism,
Multiculturalism, and
voluntary self-defense. A key aspect of the ideology is its critique of
Nationalism and nation-states. It aims to establish a "Democratic Nation" that is decentralized, multicultural, and opposed to
capitalist profit accumulation, effectively dismantling traditional conceptions of nationhood. Democratic Confederalism draws significant inspiration from
Libertarian Municipalism.
Beliefs
Jineology
Jineology, also called the science of women/women's science, is a form of feminism advocated for by Abdullah Öcalan, the representative leader of the PKK. As according to Him, he believes that a country can't be free unless the women are free, and that the level of woman's freedom determines the level of freedom in society at a larger scale. Since the very beginning of the PKK, Öcalan has emphasized the ability of women to fight alongside their male comrades. Roughly 40% of the PKK's fighting force is made up of women and there is an all women's branch of the PKK known as the Free Women's Units (YJA-STAR). In the AANES, there is the female wing of the People's Defense Units (YPG) Women's Defense Units (YPJ) which is similar to YJA-STAR. In the AANES, they also attempt to make women on an equal status to men. Every elected council is required to have one male and one female representative, and the ideas of Jineology are taught in High School there.
Anti-Capitalism
Öcalan views capitalism as a destructive system that leads to authoritarianism, persecution of women, ecological destruction, and imperialist wars. His proposed solution is a system without profit accumulation or the profit motive. While Öcalan has stated he is not against markets, his proposed system is very different to that of Market Socialism. His system involves a mix of bartering and local democratic planning.
Democratic Nation
Another crucial part of Democratic Confederalism is Öcalan's idea of Democratic Nation, along with his critique of nation-states and Nationalism. Öcalan sees the modern nation-state as a manifestation of capitalism and state power. He compares
Nationalism to a religion and sees the nation-state as the god of the religion. His solution to the issue of nation-states is to create a "Democratic Nation" with his other ideas that rather than promoting nationalism, promote ethic unity,
Multiculturalism, and opposition to
Imperialism
Social Ecology
History
In Turkey (Bakur region) 
The Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) was initially established in 1978 as a liberation movement that used
Marxist–Leninist ideals. As the party became less radical over time, Abdullah Öcalan, one of its founders, drifted further from the organization and began looking for a form of
socialism that was more distant from the authoritarian characteristics of the Soviet Union. When he was captured and arrested by Turkey in 1999, he worked further on the Kurdish question using his access to numerous western philosophical texts. He eventually came across the works of
Murray Bookchin, Friedrich Nietzsche, and many other philosophers, using them to create a new form of
democratic socialism called democratic confederalism. In 2005, Öcalan published his first work, titled Declaration of Democratic Confederalism in Kurdistan, which laid out the foundations of his new ideology. Soon after, the
PKK adopted his program and sought to put his concept into full effect. A new organization with the goals of spreading Democratic Confederalism was soon created after words known as the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK). The PKK has since fought with the Turkish military in the Qandil Mountains in Iraq and attacked Turkish police, and military. There were multiple attempts at peace deals and in 2013 a ceasefire was declared. This however did not last long as in 2015 12 PKK members were killed trying to cross the Iraqi border by the Turkish military and
the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria did a bombing in Suruç, which the PKK accused the Turkish government of either helping or being complicit in. Since then the clashes have resumed and the fighting between the HPG (People's Defense Forces, PKK's armed wing) and the Turkish military in Northern Iraq and many on both sides have been killed.
In Syria (Rojava region) 
Many political parties came together with the intention of bringing the ideals of democratic confederalism across Kurdistan. The Syrian Civil War brought an opportunity to the Democratic Union Party (PYD) to declare autonomy over Rojava, which soon became an autonomous region that implemented a democratic confederalist government, which is currently identified a libertarian socialist federated semi-direct democracy. The PYD's armed wing People's Protection Units (YPG), engaged in many battles with the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) the most important of which being the siege of Kobanê and the battle of Raqqa. The PYD being linked to the PKK lead to Turkey invading into many areas they controlled, including Afrin. A new guerrilla group was then created there known as the Afrin Liberation Forces (HRE) which has carried out numerous attacks against the Turkish military
In Iran (Rojhilat region) 
An armed Kurdish rebel group in Iran known as PJAK lead by Abdul Rahman Haji Ahmadi first attacked the Iranian military in 2004. They were originally a student movement that was inspired by Iraqi Kurdistan and the
PKK, but soon became a more militant movement after Iran began cracking down on them more. They are based in the Qandil mountains, just like the PKK. Iranian funded media has long accused PJAK of being funded by
the US and
Israel, but they have always denied the allegations, and in an interview with Today's Zaman, a PJAK spokesperson said they will attack American interests as well as Turkish and Iranian ones. In 2009, PJAK was designated as terrorist by the US. The conflict has been relatively calm since 2015 but recently some clashes between the Iranian forces and PJAK have broken out leaving some dead on both sides. PJAK holds the same Democratic Confederalist beliefs as the PKK does and hopes to create a federal and democratic Iran
Variants
Dawronoye
Dawronoye (Syriac: ܕܘܪܢܝܐ, meaning something along the lines of "progressive" or "revolutionary") is an Assyrian Nationalist, Libertarian Socialist ideology. It originates from the Beth-Nahrin National Council or MUB (Syriac:
ܡܘܬܒܐ ܐܘܡܬܝܐ ܕܒܝܬܢܗܪܝܢ) (formerly Beth-Nahrin Freedom Party or GHB (Syriac:
ܓܒܐ ܕܚܐܪܘܬܐ ܕܒܝܬܢܗܪܝܢ) which has always had close ties to the Kurdistan Workers' Party. It is nowadays linked to the Syriac Union Party (SUP) (Syriac:
ܓܒܐ ܕܚܘܝܕܐ ܣܘܪܝܝܐ) in Rojava and its armed wing, the Syriac Military Council (MFS) (Syriac:
ܡܘܬܒܐ ܦܘܠܚܝܐ ܣܘܪܝܝܐ)
It remains controversial among Assyrians with some seeing them as puppets of the PYD who they see as not actually caring about them, and other seeing them as brave fighters for the Assyrian homeland
They are against the Assyrian/Syriac/Aramean/Chaldean name divide among their people and use both the Assyrian and Syriac/Aramean flags and they view the divide among the names their people use is only a way to further divide them
Regarding Syrian Civil War politics, The Dawronoye Syriac Union Party, has been known to be Pro-Syrian-Federalism, and was apart of the National Coordination Committee for Democratic Change alongside the PYD, which is a broadly left-wing, moderate opposition group to
Assad, who claim to promote "peacefully resolving the crisis through dialogue, to achieve a safe and peaceful transition from despotism to democracy" Because of this, they are typically seen by more radical opposition groups as a front for Assad rather than as a legitimate rebel group despite their open support to the FSA.
How to Draw

- Draw a ball
- Color in a green background and make it the same color as the KCK flag
- Draw a yellow sun with 21 rays going around it and draw 21 smaller rays in between the larger 21 rays
- Add a red five-pointed star in the center of that sun
- Draw the eyes
- Optional props:
- An assault rifle, like an AK-47
- A headband, depicting nature
...and you're done!
Color Name | HEX | RGB | |
---|---|---|---|
Yellow | #FFCC00 | rgb(255, 204, 0) | |
Red | #FF0000 | rgb(255, 0, 0) | |
Green | #008000 | rgb(0, 128, 0) |
Relationships
Friends
Eco-Anarchism - While we have small debates about how socialism should save the environment, we're actually pretty chill.
Feminism - A country can't be free unless the women are free!
But Kurdish women have low IQ, I hope you don't get mad at me.Minarcho-Socialism - States only administrate, while democracies govern.
Libertarian Municipalism - We do not destroy the world of domination by storming the bastions of the powerful. We destroy it by creating a new world from below, by living differently.
Libertarian Socialism - We are literally the same!
Hoxhaism - Even if we disagree on a lot, you're still very helpful and one of the only Marxist-Leninists who's willing to support me.
Marxism–Leninism–Maoism - Another ML who helps me!
Neozapatismo - Similar to me, but from Mexico. Based!
Gaddafism - Thanks for funding me, and supporting my cause, although you could cool it on the religion.
Post-Colonial Anarchism - He is very close to me. Based!
Socialist Feminism - Glad we set up the Women's Protection Units and Free Women's Units together. We scared off those Jihadists who thought women could never fight.
Guevarism - You were our strongest inspiration.
Dawronoye - My good Assyrian friend. He's a bit too nationalistic but overall very based.
Socialism - To insist on socialism, means to insist on being human.
Pro-SDF FSA/Opposition - Though I am overall neutral with much of the current opposition not already apart of me, the same can't be said for you guys, who helped fight off ISIS and even helped to form the modern SDF with me. We're always happy to see some of you guys on our side and who fights along with us against pseudo-revolutionaries such as
SNA proxies.
Northern Democratic Brigade - Along with all the respect due for standing with us in the SDF, sincerely thank you for seeing me as a good alternative to the
Ba'athist Syrian political system, even being so down with us as to wave Öcalan flags along with your independence flags which was beyond based. Its an absolute shame the opposition government in power right now is nothing like you.
HDPism - My biggest Turkish supporter!
Geolibertarianism - You are quite misguided, especially with this capitalism thing but you are quite an environmentalist and you respect the rights of people. Also to add you are anti-monopolistic so you are one of the less bad cappies.
Palestinian Nationalism - Palestine has always played a huge role in our struggle.
Libertarianism Social Georgism - You are like your brother but you are more welfare oriented which I like and you support socializing land! Just ditch capitalism and we are good!
Georgism - You are an environmentalist, a civic libertarian, who supports sharing land and taxing land owners. Just end the capitalism and you will be cool with me.
Frenemies
Syrian Ba'athism
- Filthy authoritarian, but saved me from
that invader and
Jihadists, give me autonomy and I will side with you as lesser evil to
Turkey and
Jihadists but until than you are still a filthy authoritaria-HOLY SHIT YOU JUST WITHDREW! GUESS ITS FREE REAL ESTATE!
Non-Allied FSA/Opposition - While overall I don't particularly oppose discussions of integration with an opposition government if it brings potential for a progressive and stable Syria. It's still saddening to see the Syrian revolution, which had initially begun with revolutionary minds like
Omar Aziz and the LCCs, wanting to create a decentral and autonomous Syria managed through local councils, to see Kurds, Syriacs and many other exploited and neglected communities of the nation, all rising up under the same banner of independence, only to all get suppressed by forces of quasi-revolutionary Islamists, Nationalists, and foreign proxies, who all had proclaimed themselves as the rightful heirs of the revolution, those whose existence still threatens that which the revolution sought to achieve even now. We have shared the same revolutionary struggle as them, and wish to continue where they could not, to form a Syrian confederation and alliance of different ethnicities, cultures and rebel forces who have not abandoned that cause against all those who would seek to corrupt or destroy it, even if it meant we have had to swallow our ideological purity in many cases and inevitably accept compromise with
Him in the past. Hopefully talks of possible integration could be a stepping stone towards rectifying these previous injustices in creating a path forward for a new democratic Syria.
Kurdish Nationalism - Proud Kurdish comrades and patriots. But even while useful for promoting the liberty of Kurds, Öcalan isn't the biggest fan of the nationalist ideology and us identifying ourselves with such beliefs.
Marxism–Leninism - I adopted the Maoist guerilla warfare strategy, but it was all a failure and sooner or later, I read Bookchin and started to reconsider you as a whole.
Putinism - Thanks for calling for my inclusion in the Geneva III peace talks on Syria, And sending my support after
he left me, But you keep supporting
Assad over me, also you are pretty conservative and authoritarian for my taste, better than
Kemalism tho.
- Alright, Comrade, I will replace the American troops that abandoned you and protect you from Turkey's Operation Peace Spring, and in return I ask you accept Semi-Autonomous Status in Syria, Also I removed the word "Arab" in the constitution I proposedy for Syria in 2017 for ya.
Arab Socialism - I like your socialist ideology and your dedication to anti-imperialism in the Middle East, but why did you try to Arabize Kurds when you controlled Rojava?
Marxism - It is now sufficiently clear that even the socialism—or sociology—of Karl Marx and Frederick Engels, which emerged as the opposing worldview, is a very vulgar interpretation of society. In spite of all claims of opposing it, they could not escape serving capitalism—even more so than its official ideology, liberalism. This is sufficiently clear from the trends, movements, and state systems of
Marxism - Leninism,
Social Democracy, and
national liberation. Despite their highly noble traditions of struggle, if the above mentioned trends and movements, while acting in the name of oppressed classes and nations, have found themselves in this situation, this is closely related to their knowledge structures. The knowledge structures that they rely on—both in their positive and negative aspects—have produced overall results that have contradicted their intentions. These outcomes would not have emerged so easily if there were not a chain of serious flaws and mistakes in their fundamental paradigm and structures.
Separatism - In the solution to the Kurdish question, too, the path that is meaningful and consistent is the one that does not rely on separatism and that accepts democratic autonomy. All other paths will either lead to a postponement of problems, and therefore to a deepening of the impasse, or to violent conflict and separation.
But I used to support you and a lot of my supporters still do.Neoconservatism - NATO has never stood for democracy, it has only ever fought against the forces of freedom, democracy, and socialism. Even so, out of pragmatism, I have to say thanks for funding me in Syria and Iraq though you still abandoned me thanks to Trump and you actively support Turkey against me.
Libertarianism - I respect your commitment to freedom and stuff but laissez-faire allows worker exploitation!
Helvetic Model - In practice our systems of government are pretty similar, but you would be better if you focused on the environment more and ditched a liberalism but your welfare programs are okay and you are quite decentralized which I really like! But you are not perfect though.
Kemalism - I offer the Turkish society a simple solution. We demand a democratic nation. We are not opposed to the unitary state and republic. We accept the republic, its unitary structure and laicism. However, we believe that it must be redefined as a democratic state respecting peoples, cultures and rights.
Enemies
Trumpism - He stopped supporting me, and instead started supporting Turkey.
Neo-Ottomanism - Invaded me to do ethnic cleansing! And you also turned the Scandinavians against me! F*ck you reactionary, Turkish, idiot!
Jihadism - HAHA! WOMENS PROTECTION UNITS AND FREE WOMEN'S UNITS GO BRRRRRRRRRRR!!! You're so dumb to think that fear beats justice. PLUS ISIS ARE REACTIONARY BARBARIANS!
Third Way - Assisted in the capture of Öcalan and declared the PKK a terrorist organization! WE ARE A REVOLUTIONARY MOVEMENT, NOT A TERROR GROUP! HELL, WE FIGHT TERRORISTS, LIKE ISIS!
But Obama supported Rojava.Turkish Idealism - Has done too many crimes against Kurds and leftists to count! Literally the Turkish ISIS!
KDP - You're not even a nation-state, you're just a parasite.
Nationalism - Even though some of my Kurdish and other minority allies like you, assuming that we would compare the nation-state to a living god then nationalism would be the correspondent religion.
Khomeinism - FUCK YOU!
PJAK WILL LIBERATE ROJHILAT AND IRAN FROM YOUR THEOCRATIC TYRANNY! (Although my Iraqi elements don't mind you because we both hate Saddam & Saudi Arabia)
Zionism - Unlike most Anti-Zionists, I believe the Middle East needs Jews just as much as the Jews need the Middle East, but your nation-state and your apartheid that causes nothing but injustices to the Palestinians is nothing short of evil!
Syrian National Army - FILTHY TURKISH PUPPETS!
İttihadism - You killed Kurds as well in the Armenian genocides, you chauvinist nutjob!
Capitalism - Peace cannot be made until capitalist modernity has been destroyed.
Imperialism - You divided up the Middle East and caused all of its issues in the first place!
Nordic Model - I still don't get why would Ottomanists claim you had something to do with me. You fought against me from the start.
Islamic Theocracy - Fuck Saudi Arabia, the Al-Sanadid Forces will destroy you!
Ethnopluralism - This is the logical conclusion of the nation-state system, a fascist system based on the separation of peoples into small, homogeneous nation-states.
Liberalism - The real power of capitalist modernity is not its money or its weapons; its real power lies in its ability to suffocate all utopias - including the socialist utopia which is the last and the most powerful of all - with its liberalism. "I will say that your more libertarian friend is alright".
National Liberalism - Embracing fascism to protect western "democracy" political order.
Hayekism - I really tried to respect you but you are TOO anti-socialist. While you do like welfare you do not go far enough and call me and my friends socialist scums! Go away!
Iraqi Ba'athism
- WE WILL NOT FORGET SADDAM'S RUTHLESS KURDISH GENOCIDE!
Patriarchy - Smash the patriarchy!
Further Information
Websites
- KCK official English website
- PKK official English website
- PYD official English website
- Firat News Agency English
- Hawar News Agency English
Literature
- The Philosophy of Social Ecology (1995) by Murray Bookchin
- Declaration of Democratic Confederalism in Kurdistan (2005) by Abdullah Öcalan
- Capitalism: The Age of Unmasked Gods and Naked Kings (2008) by Abdullah Öcalan
- Civilization: The Age of Masked Gods and Disguised Kings (2009) by Abdullah Öcalan
- The Sociology of Freedom (2009) by Abdullah Öcalan
- Democratic Confederalism (2011) by Abdullah Öcalan
- Liberating Life: Woman's Revolution (2013) by Abdullah Öcalan
- Democratic Nation (2016) by Abdullah Öcalan
Videos
- Jineology: Feminism & Patriarchy In The Middle East by Saint Andrewism
- What is Democratic Confederalism? by Everything About Kurdistan
- How Anarchist Government Works (Democratic Confederalism) by RE-EDUCATION
Interviews and news
- PKK Youth Fight for Autonomy in Turkey (Vice News)
- From Grief Over Kobane To Chaos: Istanbul's Kurdish Riots (Vice News)
- An Interview with PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan (Journeyman Pictures)
- Rojava: Syria's Unknown War (Vice)
- The era for nation-states is over (interview with Besê Hozat)
Wikipedia
- Democratic Confederalism
- Abdullah Öcalan
- Murat Karayılan
- Sakine Cansız
- Cemîl Bayik
- Besê Hozat
- Mustafa Karasu
- Rojava
- Kurdistan Communities Union
- Movement for a Democratic Society
- Jineology
- Kurdistan Workers' Party
- Democratic Union Party
- Kurdistan Free Life Party
- People's Protection Units
- Women's Protection Units
- People's Defense Forces
- Free Women's Units
- Civil Protection Units
References
- ↑ The Flag of the SDF features the province of Hatay as a part of Syria, which was ceded by French Syria to Turkey in 1939
Gallery
Portraits and Artwork
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Original portrait
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Older portrait
Alternative variants
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Kurdistan
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Dawronoye
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Dawronoye
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Dawronoye flag design
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Rojava flag design
Comics
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"Assad stayed... If only the others could too." by u/fruitrollupgod, Source
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"Syria 2021" , by (...)
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By NR34.
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By AquaHeart