Democratic Confederalism

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"States only administrate, while democracies govern."

Democratic Confederalism is a libertarian left, culturally progressive ideology and political system coined by Kurdish politician Abdullah Öcalan that currently exists in Rojava, a de facto autonomous region in northern Syria.

Democratic Confederalism believes in a system of administrative councils elected by the people that allow local communities to exercise autonomous control over their assets while linking to other communities via a network of confederal councils. Private property is abolished, in favor of "property of use" which lets individuals use infrastructure and land, but restricts them from turning it into a private enterprise. They greatly value the principles of Direct Democracy, Environmentalism, Third-World Feminism , Multiculturalism, and voluntary self-defense. Another core part of the ideology is the critique of Nationalism and nation-states as a concept. It seeks to establish a "Democratic Nation" to destroy nation-statism which is multicultural, decentralized, and destroys capitalist profit accumulation.

They take heavy 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

Flag of Democratic Confederalism
  1. Draw a ball
  2. Color in a green background and make it the same color as the KCK flag
  3. Draw a yellow sun with 21 rays going around it and draw 21 smaller rays in between the larger 21 rays
  4. Add a red star in the center of that sun
  5. Draw the eyes
  6. Optional props:
    1. An assault rifle, like an AK-47
    2. A headband, depicting nature

...and you're done!

Color Name HEX RGB
Yellow #FFCC00 255, 204, 0
Red #FF0000 255, 0, 0
Green #008000 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 - Smash the patriarchy!
  • Minarcho-Socialism - They're very similar to my ideology.
  • Libertarian Municipalism - My parent and main inspiration.
  • 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.
  • Northern Democratic Brigade - Though I try to stay neutral in Syrian civil war politics, thanks for seeing me as a good alternative to the current Syrian political system, and fighting the SNA alongside us as well as flying those Öcalan flags which was beyond based.
  • 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.
  • 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!
  • Geosyndicalism - You are pretty cool!
  • 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 independence and I will side with you as lesser evil to Turkey and Jihadists but until than you are still a filthy authoritarian.
  • Non-Allied-FSA/Opposition - I did really wanted to side with Him but many of you rebels allied with We have worked together with some of you in the past though and some of you even helped form the SDF with us. But I still won't forgive your Turkish-allied factions for taking Afrin from us though with Neo-Ottomanism.
  • Kurdish Nationalism - Based Kurdish comrade. 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 - We're supposed to be on the same side, why do you support Assad over me? Why won't you accept me?
  • 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.
  • 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 Turkey 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 you are too capitalistic and you allow worker exploitation!
  • Helvetic Model - You would be based if you focused on the environment more and ditched a bit of liberalism but your welfare programs are okay and you are quite decentralized which I really like! But you are not perfect though.

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.
  • 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!
  • 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!
  • Zionism - Palestine has always played a huge role in our struggle
  • Syrian National Army - FILTHY TURKISH PUPPETS!
  • Kemalism - We must fight the Kemalist liberal elite. You have done nothing to stop the radical Turkish right.
  • İttihadism -TURKISH ULTRANATIONALISM + FASCISM = WORST IDEOLOGY!
  • 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!

Further Information

Websites

Literature

Videos

Interviews and news

Wikipedia

References


Gallery

Portraits and Artwork

  • Original portrait

    Original portrait

  • Older portrait

    Older portrait

Alternative variants

  • Kurdistan

    Kurdistan

  • Dawronoye

    Dawronoye

  • Dawronoye

    Dawronoye

  • Dawronoye flag design

    Dawronoye flag design

  • Rojava flag design

    Rojava flag design

Comics

  • "Assad stayed... If only the others could too." by u/fruitrollupgod, Source

    "Assad stayed... If only the others could too." by u/fruitrollupgod, Source

  • "Syria 2021" , by (...)

    "Syria 2021" , by (...)

Navigation

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