Democratic Confederalism

Democratic Confederalism is a left-libertarian, 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 Bookchin Communalism.

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 then promoting nationalism, it promotes ethnic unity, Multiculturalism, and opposition to  Imperialism

[[File:PKK-icon-pcb.png]] In Turkey (Bakur region) [[File:ROT.png]]
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, military, civilians, and mosques inside the country as an internationally-designated terrorist organization. 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.

[[File:Rojava.png]] In Syria (Rojava region) [[File:Cball-Syria.png]]
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

[[File:Pjak.png]] In Iran (Rojhilat region) [[File:Cball-Iran.png]]
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

How to Draw
Demconflagnew.png Here's how to draw Democratic Confederalism: and you're done!
 * 1) Draw a ball
 * 2) Draw 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) Draw a red star in the center of that sun
 * 5) Draw the eyes.

Friends

 * [[File: Aneco.png]] Eco-Anarchism - While we have small debates about how socialism should save the environment, but we're actually pretty chill.
 * [[File: Fem.png]] Feminism - Smash the patriarchy!
 * [[File: Minsocf.png]] Minarcho-Socialism - They're very similar to my ideology.
 * [[File: Bckchn.png]] Bookchin Communalism - My parent and main inspiration
 * [[File: Libsoc.png]] Libertarian Socialism - We are literally the same!
 * [[File: Libmarx.png]] Libertarian Marxism - He supports me, and we're ideologically similar!
 * [[File: Hoxha.png]] Hoxhaism - Even if we disagree on a lot you're still very helpful and one of the only authoritarian leftists who's willing to support me
 * [[File: MLM.png]] Marxism–Leninism–Maoism - Another AuthLeft who helps me!
 * [[File:Zapa.png]] Neozapatismo - Similar to me, but from Mexico. Based!
 * [[File:Gaddafi.png]] Gaddafism - Thanks for funding me and supporting my cause, although you could cool it on the religion.
 * [[File:Postconan.png]] Post-Colonial Anarchism - He is very close to me. Based!
 * [[File:SocFem.png]] 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.
 * [[File:Guevara.png]] Guevarism - You were our strongest inspiration
 * [[File:dawronoyeicon.png]] Dawronoye - My good Syriac friend. He's a bit too nationalistic but overall very based
 * [[File:soc.png]] Socialism - To insist on socialism means to insist on being human
 * [[File:Cball-FSA.png]] 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 [[File:Cball-FSA.png]][[File:Ottoman.png]]SNA alongside us as well as flying those Öcalan flags which was beyond based.

Frenemies

 * [[File: Baath.png]] Ba'athism - Filthy authoritarian and I still hate him, but saved me from [[File:Ottoman.png]] that invader. I-it's not like I like him or anything... baka
 * [[File:Cball-FSA.png]] Mainstream FSA/Opposition - I never wanted to side with [[File: Baath.png]] Him but why did you rebels have to ally with  [[File: Muslim 2.png]] [[File:Ottoman.png]] [[File: Jihad.png]] ? We have worked together with some of you in the past though and some of you even helped form the SDF with us.  Still won't forgive your Turkish-allied factions for takin Afrin from us though with [[File:Ottoman.png]] Neo-Ottomanism.
 * [[File:Cball-IraqiKurdistan.png]] 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.
 * [[File: ML.png]] Marxism–Leninism - We're supposed to be on the same side, why do you support [[File:Baath.png]] Assad over me? Why won't you accept me?
 * [[File:Absoc.png]] Arab Socialism - I like your socialist ideology and you dedication to anti-imperialism in the Middle East, but why did you try to Arabize Kurds when you controlled Rojava?
 * [[File:Ormarxf.png]] 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 [[File:ML.png]] real socialism, [[File:socdem.png]] Social Democracy, and [[File:Sep.png]] national liberation. Despite their highly noble traditions of struggle, if the abovementioned 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.
 * [[File:Sep.png]] 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 violence 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 supporter still do.

Enemies

 * [[File: Trumpism.png]] Trumpism - He stopped supporting me, and instead started supporting Turkey.
 * [[File:Ottoman.png]] Neo-Ottomanism - Invaded me to do ethnic cleansing, and is basically the new ISIS. And you also turned the Scandinavians against me! F*ck you!
 * [[File: Jihad.png]] Jihadism - The old ISIS, of course, is even worse. HAHA! WOMENS PROTECTION UNITS AND FREE WOMEN'S UNITS GO BRRRRRRRRRRR!!!
 * [[File: 3way.png]] Third Way - Assisted in the capture of Öcalan and declared the PKK a terrorist organization!
 * [[File:Grey-Wolves-icon-pcb.png]] Islamic Fascism - Has done too many crimes against Kurds and leftists to count!
 * [[File:KDP-icon.png]] KDP - You're not even a nation-state, you're just a parasite
 * [[File:Nation.png]] 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.
 * [[File:Khom.png]] Khomeinism - FUCK YOU! [[File:Pjak.png]] PJAK WILL LIBERATE ROJHILAT AND IRAN FROM YOUR TYRANNY!
 * [[File:Zio.png]] Zionism - Palestine has always played a huge role in our struggle
 * [[File:Cball-FSA.png]] Syrian National Army - FILTHY TURKISH PUPPETS!
 * [[File:Kemal.png]] Kemalism - We must fight the Kemalist elite.
 * [[File:Cap.png]] Capitalism - Peace cannot be made until the capitalist modernity has been destroyed.
 * [[File:Imp.png]] Imperialism - You divided up the Middle East and caused all of its issues in the first place!
 * [[File:Necon.png]] Neoconservatism - NATO has never stood for democracy, it has only ever fought against the forces of freedom, democracy, and socialism
 * [[File:Nordmodel.png]] Nordic Model - I still don't get why would Ottomanists claim you had anything to do with me. You fought against me from the start.
 * [[File: Muslim 2.png]] Islamic Theocracy - Fuck Saudi Arabia, the Al-Sanadid Forces will destroy you!
 * [[File:Ethplur.png]] Ethnopluralism - This is the logical conclusion of the nation-state system, a fascist system based on the separation of peoples into small, homogenous nation-states.
 * [[File:Lib.png]] 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.

Websites

 * KCK official English website
 * PKK official English website
 * HPG official English website
 * YJA-STAR official Kurdish website
 * PYD official English website
 * SDF official English website
 * YPG official English website
 * YPJ official English website
 * Firat News Agency English
 * Hawar News Agency English

Literature

 * Civilization: The Age of Masked Gods and Disguised Kings (2009) by Abdullah Öcalan
 * Capitalism: The Age of Unmasked Gods and Naked Kings (2008) by Abdullah Öcalan
 * The Sociology of Freedom (2009) by Abdullah Öcalan
 * The Philosophy of Social Ecology (1995) by Murray Bookchin
 * Declaration of Democratic Confederalism in Kurdistan (2005) 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

Gallery
Demokratyczny konfederalizm