Balkan Federation and Communes

How much does an unrealized past—once a possible future—continue to agitate us?

Today the Balkans are too often defined by nationalism, violence, and xenophobia—ills cultivated after the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire and the intervention of the Great Powers in the region. The peoples of the Balkans have since been squeezed into numerous small state entities, each promoting its own insular national idea.

But this was not the only path history could have taken.

At the dawn of the twentieth century, revolutionary movements envisioned a radically different future: a united, federated Balkans, where diverse peoples would manage public affairs through communal and participatory means. Ideas like the Balkan Federation and the Balkan Commune captivated the hearts and minds of revolutionaries, anarchists, and socialists across the region—traditions deeply rooted in the lands of the area now known as Bulgaria.

In this book, political theorist Yavor Tarinski revives and examines these buried visions. With clarity and commitment, he brings to light the radical traditions and libertarian imaginaries that continue to resonate.

This is a history from below—a story not of borders and empires, but of solidarity and possibility. One that still asks to be taken seriously by future generations.