After the Arab Spring, Kurdish forces took control of North-East Syria, known as Rojava – or western Kurdistan in the Kurdish language.

They began implementing a radically democratic system of governance.

Each locality is independent, while under a regional constitution guaranteeing wide ranging freedoms.

Each sub community in a locality – women, ethnic groups, youth, etc – are asked to organise themselves, and are given an equal voice in the local organising meetings. If the decision is about a technical matter, experts are brought in for consultation by the community. These meetings are similar to the Peoples Assembly model used worldwide in many democratic movements.

Local meetings then federate to form municipal and regional bodies to do larger tasks. Power is maintained at the level of the locality.

The economy is being transformed into a Co-operative dominated system.

We are joined in this interview by Ismet Tastan, who tells us much about how the system works and how the various elements fit together.

The Syrian Democratic Forces (yes, the armed forces are democratically run) have been closely allied with the USA for years, and have been the only effective on the ground force opposing – and defeating – ISIS in the region.

Unfortunately in late 2019, USA president Donald Trump pulled out the last USA troops, knowingly allowing Turkish president Raccip Erdogan, who has been at war with the Kurdish people for many years, to invade northern Syria. Syrian dictator Bashar Al-Assad and aly Vladimir Putin have regained control of the rest of north-east Syria.

The fate of the people and the democratic system looks grim.

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