Communes of Hêvîstan

The Communes of Hêvîstan, known simply as Hêvîstan or Hevistan, is a confederation of communes located in the northern squadron of the map. In Hêvîstan, there are a few main communes which make up the confederation: Biratî, Jîyan, Azadî, and the Autonomous Administration of the Domain of Rot. Each commune within Hêvîstan has almost complete autonomy over local decision making, and these communes confederate to create a regional council. Regional councils may also confederate to form a Confederal Congress. Decision-making within Hêvîstan occurs through locally, directly democratic, highly participatory citizens' assemblies, operating on the structure of popular democracy. They operate on the ideological basis of communalism and democratic confederalism. They are governed in compliance with the Charter for an Indivisible Confederation of Communities, also known simply as "the Charter."
== Politics ==
Hêvîstan describes this system of governance as a stateless, grassroots version of direct democracy. Rather than a top-down, hierarchical structure, the structure within Hêvîstan is a horizontal, decentralized structure. In regional councils, they do not exist to make decisions or impose policies onto the communes - rather, they serve a coordination role in ensuring communication and coordination within the confederation, while leaving decisions to each local commune. Communes can voluntary opt-in to the regional council, or opt-out. Association within the regional councils is voluntary. Regional councils can confederate to form a Confederal Congress, which also does not make decisions, but make proposals to send to the regional councils, and then to the local communes for a vote and ratification. Policies can be altered at any level and it ensures all communes have a say in the policies that affect them.
=== Communes ===
A commune is a self-governing, geographically defined community of individuals who voluntarily associate to manage their collective affairs through direct democracy. Communes may range in size from small villages to urban neighborhoods, provided they remain small enough to facilitate direct participation in assemblies. Local assemblies are the foundational decision-making bodies of Hêvîstan, where all residents of a commune gather to discuss, deliberate, and decide on matters affecting their community. Assemblies are the highest authority within a commune, attempting to represent the principles of direct democracy, autonomy, and collective self-governance. All residents of a commune, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, or species, have the right to participate in local assemblies.
==== The Regional Council ====
The Regional Councils exist to:
* Facilitate coordination between communes on matters that transcend local boundaries (e.g., infrastructure, resource sharing, defense). 
* Develop proposals for collective action, which are then ratified or rejected by local assemblies.
* Ensure solidarity among communes without centralizing power or undermining local autonomy.
* Organize mutual aid networks to support communes facing shortages or disasters.
* Plan and oversee regional projects (e.g., roads) that benefit multiple communes.
Each commune within a region elects or appoints instantly recallable delegates to represent its interests in the council. Regional councils are formed through the voluntary association of communes within a defined geographic area. No commune is compelled to join a regional council, but participation is highly encouraged to foster mutual aid and cooperation. Delegates are not professional politicians; rather, they are ordinary residents serving temporary, rotating terms. Regional councils do not have the ability to mandate decisions upon the communes, participate in communal decision making, or in any way violate the integrity of the self-governance of the communes. Regional councils can act as a neutral body to mediate disputes between communes, using the principles of restorative justice, while ensuring conflicts are resolved without undermining communal autonomy or solidarity. If necessary, regional councils can confederate in a similar manner to communes to create a Confederal Congress.
==== The Confederal Congress ====
The Confederal Congress can be formed through the voluntary association of regional councils to:
* Coordinate collective action on matters that transcend regional boundaries (e.g., national defense, inter-regional trade).
* Develop proposals for confederal initiatives, which are then ratified or rejected by regional councils and local assemblies.
* Ensure solidarity among regions and communes while preserving their autonomy and direct democratic principles.
* Coordinate the TPC to defend Hêvîstan against external threats.
* Develop strategies for disaster response and conflict resolution.
* Facilitate fair and equitable trade agreements between regions.
* Act as a neutral body to mediate disputes between regions, using restorative justice principles.
* Ensure conflicts are resolved without undermining regional autonomy or solidarity.
* Represent Hêvîstan internationally, ensuring that external agreements align with confederal principles.
Participation is encouraged to foster mutual aid and cooperation, but no region is compelled to join. The creation of the Confederal Council shall only occur if or when regions agree to form one, and hitherto and thereafter will only apply when it is created. Each regional council can elect or appoint recallable delegates to represent its interests in the Confederal Congress. Delegates are ordinary residents serving temporary, rotating terms, ensuring broad participation and preventing the emergence of a political elite. The number of delegates per region is determined by the regional councils, ensuring proportional representation while maintaining manageable congress sizes. Regions may choose to rotate delegates frequently to maximize participation and prevent power concentration. Delegates are bound by strict mandates from their regional councils and must vote in accordance with the decisions of their region. Any delegate may propose items for discussion or action. Proposals are debated openly, with time allocated for questions, amendments, and counter-proposals. Proposals requiring significant resources or coordination are sent back to regional councils and local assemblies for ratification before implementation. All congress meetings and decisions are publicly documented and accessible to residents of the communes. Delegates must regularly report back to their regional councils on congress activities and decisions. Delegates may be instantly recalled by their regional council if they fail to represent its interests or violate their mandate. The recall process is initiated by a petition of 10% of residents in the region or by a decision of the regional council. Delegates are subject to regular review by their regional council, ensuring continuous accountability and alignment with communal will. Disputes within the congress are resolved through restorative justice practices, prioritizing dialogue, mutual understanding, and reparative solutions over punishment. If conflicts between regions cannot be resolved locally, the Confederal Congress acts as a mediator, ensuring fair and equitable outcomes.
The Confederal Congress may be dissolved by a supermajority vote (e.g., ⅔ or ¾) of its constituent regional councils. Upon dissolution, responsibilities are transferred back to the regional councils or a newly formed congress.
=== Military ===
The Communes of Hêvîstan are protected by the Tora Parastina Civakê (TPC) and the TPC International organizations. Due to the Hêvîstani-Riddenheim War, production is mainly focused towards the war and funding the TPC organizations. At the head of the TPC is the Subcommander, which is a democratically elected officer, and can be impeached at any time with a vote. The TPC is directly accountable to the wills of the local communes. Any member within the TPC International also has a say in the decision making process and electoral system within the TPC, with it's members held to higher accountability.
=== Economy ===
According to the Charter for an Indivisible Confederation of Communities:1. All means of production (land, factories, tools, resources) are the common property of the people, managed democratically by workers and communes.
2. Private ownership of productive assets for profit is outlawed. Personal property (e.g., homes, belongings) is protected.Hêvîstan operates under the socialist mode of production, which states that all the necessary means of production (tools, factories, etc.) are owned in common and managed democratically. Economic planning takes place in the popular assemblies. Landlordship, rent-seeking, and predatory lending are prohibited; housing and land are allocated by communal assemblies. Each commune takes responsibility to ensure an irreducible minimum, a threshold of living standard someone may never fall under, including housing and food. Hêvîstan is also a moneyless society. Workers directly control their workplaces through worker councils, which make decisions about production, working conditions, and resource allocation. Each workplace is governed by a council of all workers, which elects recallable delegates to coordinate tasks and liaise with communal assemblies. Worker councils decide on policies relating to their field democratically. Work is organized as a collective contribution to society, not a commodity. All labor is valued equally, with disparities in effort compensated through rotational roles. Landlordship, rent-seeking, and predatory lending are prohibited. Housing and land are allocated by communal assemblies. Hoarding resources, speculative trading, and monopolistic practices are criminalized. Each commune’s assembly determines local needs (e.g., food, housing) and allocates resources accordingly. Proposals for production and distribution are developed through open debate and ratified by consensus or supermajority. Regional councils shall coordinate surplus sharing, infrastructure projects, and large-scale production between communes and facilitate participatory budgeting to allocate resources for regional priorities. The Confederal Congress shall manage nationwide resource allocation (e.g., strategic reserves, disaster relief). All workers have the right to form councils, syndicates, and assemblies without interference. Hazardous or undesirable labor is shared through rotating assignments. Surpluses are shared with communities globally, in accordance with confederal mandates, as decided by the Confederal Congress, or the regional councils, if not applicable. Workers may recall delegates or dissolve worker councils that violate collective agreements. Economic disputes are resolved through restorative justice and communal mediation. Misuse of collective property, as decided by the commune, shall be treated as a grave offense against the commune, and punishments regarding this shall be decided by the commune itself.
Category:Nations