Ourchan (ourchan.org) is a specialized anonymous imageboard dedicated to leftist political discussion, theory, and organizing. It is a prominent “Red” board, serving as a Marxist-Leninist alternative to the often anarchist or broad-tent leftypol.org and the right-wing /pol/ found on mainstream imageboards.
1. Key Dates and Registration
- Domain Registration: The domain
ourchan.orgwas registered on November 17, 2019. - Launch: The site launched in late 2019/early 2020. It emerged during the tumultuous period following the shutdown of 8chan (which hosted the original
/leftypol/) and the subsequent fragmentation of the online leftist imageboard community. - Status: It remains active as one of the primary “bunkers” for the Leftypol community, often cited alongside
leftypol.organdbunkerchan.xyz.
2. What is the site?
Ourchan is an anonymous imageboard (running on JSchan software) that fosters a “tankie” or orthodox Marxist-Leninist environment.
- The Ideology: Unlike other leftist spaces that may tolerate anarchism or social democracy, Ourchan is historically more focused on “Actually Existing Socialism” (AES) and scientific socialism. It serves as a place for serious theoretical discussion (
/edu/), current events analysis (/pol/), and general “comfy” leftist chat. - The “Bunker” Mentality: The site was built to be resilient against the DDOS attacks and de-platforming that frequently target political imageboards. It often serves as a backup location when other major leftist boards go offline.
- Culture: The culture mixes traditional imageboard slang with Marxist terminology. Users are expected to have read at least basic theory (Marx, Lenin, Stalin, Mao) and often engage in “struggle sessions” or debates regarding historical revisionism.
3. What does the name mean?
The name is a play on the “Our” meme associated with communism:
- Our: References the “Our” vs “My” distinction (e.g., the Bugs Bunny “Our Food” meme), symbolizing collectivism, shared ownership, and the abolition of private property.
- Chan: The standard suffix for anonymous imageboards.
- Ourchan: Effectively translates to “The Collective’s Imageboard” or “The People’s Chan.”
