Nashville Anarchist · @odonion_gethen
289 followers · 627 posts · Server kolektiva.social

I'm reading the Political Thought of Abdullah Öcalan currently and I'm quite fond of his use of the word "democratic."

We too often refer to the US and other capitalist states as democratic. But representative republics are not democracy. They do not represent the people.

At the local level, communities have little autonomy. At the higher level, elections and voting crush all but the majority. In the US, even if our system worked and the vote was properly representative, power would not rest with the people.

Communal organization, systems of consensus, confederal methods of organizing; these are all tools to becoming more democratic. Not "representative democracy"

#democracy #AbdullahOcalan #democraticconfederalism #Rojava #usa #politics #representation #socialism #anarchism

Last updated 1 year ago

CryptoNewsBot · @cryptonewsbot
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Radio Onda D'Urto · @radiondadurto
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Tod Robbins · @todrobbins
615 followers · 1683 posts · Server social.coop

@aadil a few more:

- International Volunteers of the Rojava Revolution: youtube.com/watch?v=Ig6dDbqPxE
- Rojava: Syria's Unknown War: youtube.com/watch?v=p2zxlFQxkQ
- Accidental Anarchist - What is the Rojava Revolution?: youtube.com/watch?v=yyqG-71zOi

#rojava #AANES #democraticconfederalism

Last updated 2 years ago

Tod Robbins · @todrobbins
615 followers · 1683 posts · Server social.coop

@aadil here's a few (some adjacent to ) that I've enjoyed:

- BAKUR: Inside the youtube.com/watch?v=IpA6rnKcCA
- Continued: Northeast Syria Under Attack But Hope Found in Self-Organization Communes Continued: Northeast Syria Under Attack But Hope Found in Self-Organization youtube.com/watch?v=65p9AB6jmV
- The Communes of Rojava: A Model In Societal Self Direction youtube.com/watch?v=cDnenjIdnn
- What's Next For The Kurds Who Defeated ISIS? youtube.com/watch?v=Gg1x71_FVE

1/2

#rojava #pkk #communes #democraticconfederalism

Last updated 2 years ago

Asperula · @asperula
0 followers · 1 posts · Server mastodon.uno
Laurel · @LaurelQuarrel
24 followers · 173 posts · Server kolektiva.social

Women’s village: Jinwar
On autonomous spaces, the connection of struggles and women’s revolution in Rojava
[excerpts - article: 5 years ago]
We came to Rojava as women and feminist internationalists, eager to learn from the Kurdish Women’s Movement, to live and to work with our Kurdish friends and comrades and to be part of the revolutionary process of building up and defending vivid alternatives of social organizing – here and elsewhere in this world. We want to share and discuss our experiences, this time we want to write about our reflections on Jinwar.
In between wheat fields a small village is being built up. The houses are made of mud in the traditional and most sustainable way, just as they have been built here in the region for thousands of years. The newly planted garden makes a change in the landscape; little fruit trees, olive trees, tomato plants, cucumber, watermelon, paprika, aubergine and a lot of wildly growing parpar (portulac) all around, needing just a little water and earth to grow without ever consciously being planted. Women work with their bare hands in the mud, creating bricks with which they will build up the houses of this village. The village is called Jinwar, and it will be a women’s village.
‘Jin’ itself is a meaningful expression in the Kurdish language: It means ‘woman’ but at the same time it is close to the word ‘jîn’ which means ‘life’. The Kurdish word ‘war’ means ‘space’, ‘land’, ‘home’. Jinwar will become a women’s space, a space where women will gather, live and work together, based on the vision of a free and communal life. It is a pioneering project that is deeply attached to the three basic principles of the democratic confederalist paradigm: democracy, ecology and women’s liberation.
In the last years the women in Rojava/Northern Syria have built up a base of self-organization in all areas of society that inspires women all over the world. Still women are facing a lot of difficulties while struggling for an autonomous life. Breaking away from patriarchal structures is challenging, here as everywhere. Indeed Jinwar teaches us to see the revolution from a holistic perspective. The women that struggle with rifles in their hands and the women that work with their hands full of mud are part of the same revolution, struggling on different fronts for the same vision of a free society.
The idea to create a womens village in Rojava has been a dream of women in the women’s movement for many years. One year ago several women and autonomous women’s organizations finally gathered and founded a committee for the creation of Jinwar. Afterwards half a year was spent on discussions, planning and making infrastructural preparations.
As Jinwar will be organized as a commune, the center of the village will be shaped by the place of the assemblies, as well as a tea garden and other places to meet, to live and to work together.
With the planting of the communal garden the women are aiming to create a base of self-sufficiency for the village, but also to maintain the connection to the earth and the food which nourishes as a fundamental part of life. In an area of quasi-desert and wheat mono-culture, being result of the Syrian regimes policy to industrialize agriculture since the 1970s, as well as the Turkish states warfare against the Rojava region (aiming to dry it out slowly by cutting off its water supplies), growing a big ecological garden and an orchard of fruit trees itself is an act of vivid resistance. It will change the territory, revive the ground and create an example of how a commune can live and work with the land in a sustainable way.
Women can never be free if they do not disconnect themselves from men and the patriarchal system in every aspect: mentally, physically and emotionally.Abdullah Öcalan
The village will be an autonomous space, a space of women to live freely and to regain the confidence, strength and creativity that have been undermined in the long historical process of an ever deeper and broader systematization of state, capitalism and patriarchy. Such an autonomous space can become a space to breathe, a space to overcome the destructive influence of the patriarchal system and to develop and practice a liberating approach towards life together. This actually applies an idea which Abdullah Ocalan calls theory of separation: Women can never be free if they do not disconnect themselves from men and the patriarchal system in every aspect: mentally, physically and emotionally. Consequently, only free and emancipated women, having a strong and meaningful base apart from patriarchal structures of power and oppression, can push men as well to challenge their privilege, their oppressiveness and oppression within the patriarchal structures and call them to take their responsibility in the struggle for gender liberation. For changing society we need spaces and structures of organizing ourselves. Jinwar can be one of these autonomous spaces a safe space and a brave space, a space of regaining and deepening knowledge and confidence without a patriarchal eye evaluating every move one makes. A space to connect the life of women today with the heritage of womens culture and wisdom of all times. A space of practicing alternative forms of communal living and working, reflecting on them, developing them further and defending them together.
Indeed Jinwar is a place where the socio-political ideals of the Rojava revolution, known as being a women’s revolution, can be realized in a small scale. Still Jinwar does not make the mistake to see itself as a closed community, aiming to realize a whole big social vision in a locked up space. The women of Jinwar see themselves as part of the revolution, being connected in the growing vision of democratic confederalism, sharing common ethical principles and basic methods of social organizing. As a women’s commune Jinwar will be part of the network of communes, cooperatives and councils organizing under the umbrella of Kongreya Star. In this way the autonomous women’s spaces and structures are connected to each other, being able to organize according to their needs. Furthermore there is a lot of exchange with the people from the villages around and women from different cantons and even countries come to join in the work and discussion.
Jineoloji seeks to formulate alternatives in all fields of society and bring them to live – namely in the fields of ethics/aesthetics, economy, demography, ecology, history, health, education and politics.
Jineoloji is not cut off society and perceives knowledge and truth as something that goes together with the practice of an ethical life. Based on the rich history of women’s knowledge and resistance in all times of history, Jineoloji seeks to formulate alternatives in all fields of society and bring them to live – namely in the fields of ethics/aesthetics, economy, demography, ecology, history, health, education and politics. These fields are no abstract categories, but they are all connected to a broader understanding and social practice. If there will be an education on economy and ecology in Jinwar, it will be connected to the reflection of the practice in the communal gardens and the network of cooperatives. If the topic is politics, the central question is how people interact with each other and how problems can be solved and decisions can be taken – be it in a womens commune, in a village council or on the level of the whole society. Jineoloji has been developed by the Kurdish Womens Movement, but it is being more and more discussed in other parts of the world, inspiring women and feminists from different backgrounds and bringing them together. In all these ways the experiences that are made in Jinwar can be given back to the whole society, becoming part of the transformation process towards a free and ethical society.
You deal with these contradictions, you see them with all their roots and layers, you do not avoid conflicts and every day you find solutions together.
Another impressive aspect about Jinwar: the absence of fear to deal with the contradictions and difficulties a revolutionary social process brings about. The struggle with patriarchal mentalities starts already in the planning and construction of the village. What do you do if you are about to build a wall out of kerpîç stones with a group of experienced women, but the first man passing by takes the stones out of your hand with the attitude of an expert, even if he has no idea of kerpîç work? What do you do if a gender mixed group comes to help with the work for the first time, but only the men appear for the collective lunch, because tradition says that women and men do not eat together, so it is not the men but the women who will stay in their place to eat the rests afterwards? it is based on the connection to the growing structures and vision of democratic confederalism, with women’s liberation as a common base for that women have fought a lot. the revolution and its values are under attack every day. There are attacks driven by deeply patriarchal and fascist mentalities, aiming to erase the revolutionary gainings and control womens strength and resistance; and there are attacks through the liberal forces of capitalist modernity, tending to slowly undermine the revolutionary ethic and substance. Jinwar is one of the representations of the global resistance and creation of alternatives, connected to all those who are struggling against patriarchal structures and mindsets; to those who have the will to live and defend a meaningful revolutionary life, culture and ethics. The struggle is the same. It is our aim to make this connection real, to learn from the experiences our friends make here, to join in the revolution and to connect, support, defend each other on a common base.
Jin Jiyan Azadi!
internationalistcommune.com/ji

#jinjiyanazadi #Jinwar #Rojava #AANES #democraticconfederalism #march8 #iwd #internationalwomensday

Last updated 2 years ago

Chris · @muir
128 followers · 711 posts · Server todon.eu
Nashville Anarchist · @odonion_gethen
131 followers · 228 posts · Server kolektiva.social

Rojava's use of the term Democratic Confederalism to describe their system is one of those cases where revolutionary groups really get a name right.

Democratic Confederalism sounds like what one could say to describe practical Anarchism that would get approving nods from both the right and the left in American politics. It isn't weighed down by anti-socialist programming, and its terminology is approachable. It's not perfect, but it's pretty good.

#Rojava #democraticconfederalism #radical #anarchism #socialism #kurds #ypg #ypj #SDF

Last updated 2 years ago

Chris · @muir
123 followers · 572 posts · Server todon.eu
Phil · @PhilZil23
121 followers · 832 posts · Server kolektiva.social

@Nadinabbott - if your interested a great example of anarchist principles in action is in many of the organisations in Rojava Syria. Where hierarchy has been replaced with councils. In the war against IS people agree someone needs to be in charge but that role isn’t static. It can be swapped out. We could learn a lot from their system that has endured since 2012.

#democraticconfederalism #AbdullahOcalan #murraybookchin #anarchism

Last updated 2 years ago

Phil · @PhilZil23
121 followers · 832 posts · Server kolektiva.social

@Nadinabbott - its hard enough for people who think they are anarchists to get their head around what anarchism actually is. It is not against rules or control. It is against unneeded hierarchy and control from the top. And for bottom up organising. I wish people would just leave anarchism where it is. As it’s own ideology. Instead of attaching it to other things making it meaningless. is perhaps the most modern interpretation.

#anarchism #democraticconfederalism

Last updated 2 years ago

Chris · @muir
86 followers · 423 posts · Server todon.eu
Nashville Anarchist · @odonion_gethen
53 followers · 108 posts · Server kolektiva.social

I've long believed that anarchism/socialism will be achieved in steps.

No single revolution will sweep in and make a utopia, but i don't mean incrementalism. Simply that there must be a step in which we restructure and resocialize. Capitalism and imperialism are too deep in our culture to give it all up in one go.

I've begun to think that the Democratic Confederalism of Rojava is the path to this step. Decentralization, direct democracy, local autonomy, social justice. Even the name is more approachable to the average person than those "scary" words, anarchy and socialism.

Not only should we be studying and learning from Rojava, but we must protect it at all costs. With whatever we can do, we cannot let Rojava fall.

For info on how to help: defendrojava.org/

#Rojava #democraticconfederalism #kurds #turkey #ypg #pkk #anarchism #socialism #defendrojava

Last updated 2 years ago

HydroponicTrash · @hydroponictrash
1062 followers · 187 posts · Server kolektiva.social

I've been reading more about Buen Vivir, and I really should break it into a longer form article, because a lot of the ideas intersect so much with and in a lot of ways.

Looping back around Buen Vivir is really an end goal, of creating the good life, where people can live good lives both individually and collectively, but live good lives in harmony with mother earth. Not just meeting the basic needs of people (good food, clean water, stable housing, communications) but also the other needs, the needs for a sense of community, of belonging.

I have been reading: Buen Vivir as an Alternative to Sustainable Development: Lessons from Ecuador. (A link to the ebook here:annas-archive.org/md5/ef11e726)

In it, there are some core concepts featured that directly line up with ideas from degrowth, solarpunk, , and .

There is the social, spiritual, and material realms, broken down into Equity, Social Cohesion, Sustainability, Empowerment, Livelihood, and Capabilities.

All of this built on an anticapitalist framework, and instead of relying on capitalism and extraction - relying on solidarity economics that treats mother earth with respect and bases how well we are doing to how well we are living and how well the environment is.

These ideas sound radically new to a lot of people, but these ideas are both modern and ancient, as Sumak Kawsay (the Kichwa original term for Buen Vivir) is born from indigenous people in so called Ecuador and Bolivia.

I'll be talking more about this, and how we can take concrete, bottom up actions to make real change happen. But it's cool to see that political and social change - to create a world where we can live together as equals and with autonomy, where we can balance our lives with nature, help regenerate the environment and be truly sustainable, and balance that with our modern technology and amazing tools. All of this can be held in balance if we make changes anywhere and everywhere.

All power to the people.

#degrowth #solarpunk #democraticconfederalism #socialecology #anarchism

Last updated 2 years ago

HydroponicTrash · @hydroponictrash
1157 followers · 199 posts · Server kolektiva.social

I've been reading more about Buen Vivir, and I really should break it into a longer form article, because a lot of the ideas intersect so much with and in a lot of ways.

Looping back around Buen Vivir is really an end goal, of creating the good life, where people can live good lives both individually and collectively, but live good lives in harmony with mother earth. Not just meeting the basic needs of people (good food, clean water, stable housing, communications) but also the other needs, the needs for a sense of community, of belonging.

I have been reading: Buen Vivir as an Alternative to Sustainable Development: Lessons from Ecuador. (A link to the ebook here:annas-archive.org/md5/ef11e726)

In it, there are some core concepts featured that directly line up with ideas from degrowth, solarpunk, , and .

There is the social, spiritual, and material realms, broken down into Equity, Social Cohesion, Sustainability, Empowerment, Livelihood, and Capabilities.

All of this built on an anticapitalist framework, and instead of relying on capitalism and extraction - relying on solidarity economics that treats mother earth with respect and bases how well we are doing to how well we are living and how well the environment is.

These ideas sound radically new to a lot of people, but these ideas are both modern and ancient, as Sumak Kawsay (the Kichwa original term for Buen Vivir) is born from indigenous people in so called Ecuador and Bolivia.

I'll be talking more about this, and how we can take concrete, bottom up actions to make real change happen. But it's cool to see that political and social change - to create a world where we can live together as equals and with autonomy, where we can balance our lives with nature, help regenerate the environment and be truly sustainable, and balance that with our modern technology and amazing tools. All of this can be held in balance if we make changes anywhere and everywhere.

All power to the people.

#degrowth #solarpunk #democraticconfederalism #socialecology #anarchism

Last updated 2 years ago

:black_sparkling_heart:

TL:DR: I'm mostly posting this intro to connect with other Black and BIPOC Anarchists or Anti-authoritarians. Hit me up! :Fire_Panafrican:

Hey, everyone

My partner and I are currently working on a docuseries, @Elememts_of_MA, about the origins, structures, healing ways, and logistics of mutual aid-based organizing. The project isn't exclusively profiling anarchist groups, but it is deeply anti-authoritarian - we're especially staying away from charismatic leaders and celeb "activist" types.

The whole thing is independent - no producers; everything is out of pocket. We've been living out of a van we converted so we could make this happen; which has been amazing. We've been on the road since May Day this year, and have already filmed some solid interviews as far north as Montreal and as far south as Puerto Rico.

However, I'm personally struggling to find Black organizations or collectives that aren't MLM, AADOS, authoritarian, Black Capitalist, nonprofit style groups. Reading and theory groups or media collectives are rad, but I'm really looking for groups that're doing interesting work on the ground (*not food distro*) from an anti-state-nationalist analysis.

Lorenzo and JoNina Irvin will appear in the film, among other radical Black people like Jessica Gordon Nembhard, The Northeast Action Collective in Houston, and Arm the Girls in Oakland. So, I'm not at a complete loss.

But, please send me all the rad groups of Black people you know that are creating long-term, democratic, mutual aid projects in their communities. They do not need to identify as anarchist, but they *cannot* be down with the nation state and have to be doing more than food distro.

Thanks a ton, y'all.

Beyond all that, I'm also really interested in connecting with people to write Star Wars analysis and fan-fiction. I think the galaxy far, far away is an interesting canvas to explore the tensions of autonomous world building vs authoritarian revolutionary movements. If I lived in that universe, I'd no doubt be getting into arguments with the Rebel Alliance.

Thanks for reading this long-winded post.

#Introduction #intro #solidarity #black #BlackMastodon #blackanarchism #anarchism #anarchy #antifa #antifascism #antiracism #feminism #DisabilityJustice #BlackLiberation #IndigenousAnarchism #indigenousFedi #BlackFedi #blackfediverse #decolonize #decolonization #TransLiberationNow #transliberation #lgbtq #queerliberation #QueerLiberationNow #starwars #andor #scifi #Literature #creativewriting #creativewritingsocial #documentary #documentaryfeaturefilm #documentaryfilm #film #antiauthoritarianism #antiauthoritarian #vanlife #Anarkata #anticapitalism #antinationalism #anarchismofblackness #anarchistpeopleofcolor #apoc #democraticconfederalism #MutualAid #collectivism #zapatismo #farming #UrbanFarming #gardening #foodsovereignty #landback #Internationalism #jinjiyanazadi

Last updated 2 years ago

Stylo · @stylo_the_unicorn
36 followers · 171 posts · Server kolektiva.social

@OutersiderOfficial I don't know about PKK precisely, but after was imprisoned, he changed his ideas towards this

However, that was already the second time they changed a lot. Sometimes, when it's about survival, your enemy defines your organizational structure.

E.g. Mafia wouldn't live long in a horizontal organizatory structure.

#Ocalan #democraticconfederalism

Last updated 2 years ago

FLⒶRE :fuck_verify: · @Flare
93 followers · 224 posts · Server kolektiva.social

@fedizine I also know of at least one new instance! Manyworlds.fit is a new startup I believe focused on

#democraticconfederalism

Last updated 2 years ago

Tod Robbins · @todrobbins
274 followers · 637 posts · Server social.coop

@eris I highly recommend this overview (very detailed overview) of the of and how the communes are figuring out how to autonomously administrate the day-to-day youtube.com/watch?v=cDnenjIdnn

#rojava #democraticconfederalism

Last updated 2 years ago