Anarchy Countries 2026

What Is Anarchism?

Anarchism is a political philosophy centered on the belief that societies can function without centralized governments or rigid hierarchies. Rather than relying on a state to organize social and economic life, anarchist theories generally emphasize voluntary cooperation, local decision-making, and self-managed communities. Supporters of anarchism often argue that concentrated political power can become oppressive and that people are capable of organizing themselves through mutual aid and decentralized institutions.

The word “anarchy” is often associated with disorder or chaos, particularly in popular culture and media coverage. However, many anarchist movements throughout history have instead focused on creating alternative systems of governance rather than eliminating social organization altogether. Different branches of anarchism have promoted ideas ranging from worker cooperatives and communal ownership to local democratic councils and autonomous regions. Although no fully recognized anarchist country exists today, anarchist movements and self-governed communities have appeared in various forms across Europe, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East.

No Modern Countries Are Fully Anarchist

No internationally recognized country today is considered fully anarchist. Modern states generally maintain centralized governments, legal systems, and formal institutions that conflict with the core anarchist principle of a stateless society. However, several regions throughout history have operated with limited central authority or experimented with forms of decentralized self-governance inspired by anarchist ideas.

Somalia is sometimes referenced in discussions about modern anarchy because the country lacked a functioning national government for much of the period between 1991 and 2006. During those years, political authority was fragmented among local factions, autonomous regions, and clan-based systems. However, most scholars do not consider Somalia a true anarchist society, as the absence of a central government alone does not necessarily reflect anarchist political organization or ideology.

Instead, most historical examples of anarchism have existed on a smaller scale and for limited periods of time. These movements often emerged during wars, revolutions, political collapses, or social unrest. In many cases, anarchist communities attempted to create systems based on local councils, worker collectives, communal ownership, or direct democracy before eventually being absorbed, defeated, or dismantled by larger states or military forces.

Historical Anarchist Movements and Territories

Many of the best-known anarchist societies emerged during periods of political upheaval, war, or revolution. One of the most influential examples was Revolutionary Catalonia in Spain during the Spanish Civil War. Between 1936 and 1939, anarchist and anarcho-syndicalist organizations helped operate factories, farms, transportation systems, and local governments through worker collectives and decentralized councils. Spain also saw several other short-lived anarchist or libertarian socialist territories during this period, including the Regional Defence Council of Aragon and the Sovereign Council of Asturias and León.

Other notable examples appeared across Europe and Asia during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In Ukraine, the anarchist movement known as Makhnovshchina controlled large territories between 1918 and 1921 during the Russian Civil War. In China, anarchist-inspired movements emerged in South Fujian and Manchuria during the early 20th century. Smaller experiments also appeared in places such as Strandzha in present-day Bulgaria and Turkey, the Soviet Republic of Naissaar in Estonia, and the Taborite movement in what is now Czechia.

Most anarchist territories existed only briefly, ranging from a few weeks to several years. Even so, many of these movements influenced later political theories surrounding decentralized governance, workers’ rights, anti-authoritarianism, and communal self-management.

The following list includes notable anarchist and autonomous movements, communities, and territories that have existed in different parts of the world across modern history:

• Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement (1958)
• Freetown Christiania (1971)
• Exarcheia (1973)
• Federation of Neighborhood Councils - El Alto (1979)
• Marinaleda (1979)
• Popular Indigenous Council of Oaxaca (1980s)
• Puerto Real (1987)
• Spezzano Albanese (1992)
• Rebel Zapatista Autonomous Municipalities (1994)
• Barcelona’s Squatters Movement (2000)
• Dignity Village (2000)
• Barbacha (2001)
• Aabahlali baseMjonodolo (2005)
• Zaachila (2006)
• Exarcheia (2008)
• Zone to Defend (2009)
• Cherán (2011)
• Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria/Rojava (2014)

Modern Autonomous and Self-Governed Communities

Although no modern nation operates entirely under anarchist principles, several smaller communities and autonomous regions around the world continue to experiment with decentralized governance and self-management. Some focus on cooperative economics and communal living, while others emphasize local democracy, anti-authoritarian politics, or regional autonomy.

One of the best-known modern examples is Freetown Christiania in Copenhagen, Denmark, which has operated as a semi-autonomous community since 1971. In northern Syria, the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria—often referred to as Rojava—has attracted international attention for its system of democratic confederalism and local councils. Other notable examples include the Zapatista territories in southern Mexico, the self-governed Indigenous community of Cherán in Mexico, and Sri Lanka’s Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement, which has promoted village-level self-governance and community development across thousands of villages since 1958.

These movements differ widely in ideology, organization, and scale, but they share a common interest in reducing centralized authority and increasing local participation in decision-making. Many operate alongside existing national governments rather than fully replacing them, making them better understood as autonomous or semi-autonomous communities rather than independent anarchist countries.