Agorism

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Not to be confused with Agrarianism or Anarcho-Nihilism.

"[T]he consistent application of the theory of libertarianism to every action the individual libertarian takes creates the libertarian society."

Agorism, shortened to A3 (Anarchy, Agora, Action), is an Anarchist, economically right-wing and anti-copyright ideology.

Agorism as a political ideology is more about the means than the ends. It, in short, states that the best way to achieve a free society is peaceful, through the utilization of black and grey markets. It was first proposed by Samuel Edward Konkin III at the conferences CounterCon I in October 1974 and in CounterCon II in May 1975.

For Agorism it is important to distinguish between Grey and Black markets and a "Red Market." Agorism only supports behavior that is either legal but outside the framework of the state system (Grey markets) or that which is Illegal but not inherently violent (Black markets,) but it does not support trade relating to things that violate the Non-Aggression Principle (The Red Market). He supports all usage of Counter-economics defined as the sum of all non-aggressive Human Action which is forbidden by the State.[1]

Some people tend to say Agorism is a Left-Libertarian ideology[2][3] or that it is a Left Market Anarchist ideology and that it is not related to right-wing market anarchism in any way, this, although true in part because of Konkin referring to Agorism as so, it's false due to he not using the term with the standard definition referring to Libertarian Socialism, he used it as defined by Roderick T. Long as a reintegration of libertarianism with concerns that are traditionally thought of as being concerns of the left. That includes concerns for worker empowerment, worry about plutocracy, concerns about feminism and various kinds of social equality[4].

Furthermore on the topic of property it is also worth checking Konkin's opinion on intellectual property. Konkin abruptly opposed intellectual property rights and wrote an essay called "Copywrongs" about it[5] and regarded them as creators of monopolies and market distortion.


Some agorists distinguish pink markets. Pink markets (legal and immoral from libertarian's perspective) are synthesis of red (illegal and not ethical) and white (legal and ethical). Into red markets belongs taxes, conscription and so on.

History

The history of the term comes from the word Agora, which comes from Ancient Greek as the word ἀγορά, referring to an open space in which a market takes place in a "polis" (πόλις) or city[6]. About the ideology itself, according to Konkin, Agorism was a concept founded on a context of political alienation as it was the 60s and 70s[7]. He credits mainly the Austrian School of economics and economists such as Ludwig von Mises as main inspirations for the economic beliefs and the creation of Agorism in general.

Konkin says that during the 70s, in said context of political alienation, Libertarianism gained force and divided in two wings, Rothbardianism, who chose to create alliances with matching movements (on some instances), such as the Paleoconservative movement and the New Left, to influence people into the Libertarian movement, which later resulted in blends such as the Paleolibertarians and the Left-Rohbardians; and Robert LeFevre and his West Coast followers, who advocated for a "non-participatory form of civil disobedience". Later, according to Konkin, this second wing lost power and faded away, and with the creation of the Libertarian Party the Libertarian discussion polarized between Partyarchism and Agorism as the proposed methods to achieve the Libertarian ideal society.

Beliefs and Foundations

Agorists believe that the state inherently creates violence while holding a monopoly on it. Because of this, Agorists hold the core belief that the best possible way to achieve a free society (a stateless society based around voluntary association and free markets) is through peaceful revolution via counter economics, as already defined, the enhancement of any non-violent act prohibited by the government such as black markets, drugs, or any kind of disobedience. This would, through profitable civil disobedience[8], eventually lead to "starving the state", transferring its current duties towards decentralized institutions provided by the market. In Konkin's words: "Rather than slowly amass votes until some critical mass would allow state retreat (if the new statists did not change sides to protect their new vested interests), one could commit civil disobedience profitably, dodging taxes and regulations, having lower costs and (potentially) greater efficiency than one's statist competitors – if any."

Opposition to political parties

Consequently, because of opposing democracy as a valid method for the achievement of a free society, he also opposes the method by which libertarians, through democracy, try to meet this end. Agorism doesn't support any party as a mean of transition towards free market anarchism. The methods of organizations such as the US Libertarian Party aren't compatible with Agorist philosophy or praxis at all. In regards to what he calls 'partyarchy', he says "Partyarchy, the anti-concept of pursuing libertarian ends through statist means."[9]

Opinion on property

Having established that although sometimes being regarded as Left-Market Anarchists or Left-Libertarians Agorists are indeed Right-wing Libertarians (with regards to property), but a more indepth explanation on Agorism opinion on property and entrepreneurs, etc... is still useful.
Agorism divides owners of the means of production in three groups. Entrepreneurs, holders of capital, and state capitalists. Agorism's opinion on each are good, neutral and bad respectively.
Agorism believes that the first group is the strength of the free market, risk takers and producers; the second group are relatively drone-like non-innovators; and the third group is the main evil of society, the real and true biggest beneficiaries of government. This differenciation is different from that which anarcho-capitalists make, who conflate the first and second group, and contrary to marxists', who conflate all three[10].

Personality and Behaviour

He is a staunch black market vendor and acts like the stereotypical black market seller from pop culture. and always tries to sell his goods to another Balls in the comics, and he also hates being caught by the police.

How to Draw

Flag of Agorism
Emblem of Agorism
  1. Draw a ball,
  2. Fill it with grey,
  3. Draw a diagonal line and fill the bottom part with black,
  4. (Optional) Draw a white circle in the center and write A3 in it.
  5. Draw eyes and you are done!
Color Name HEX RGB
Grey #7F7F7F 127, 127, 127
Black #202020 32, 32, 32
White #FFFFFF 255, 255, 255


Relationships

Friends

  • Anarcho-Capitalism - Based, but why wage labor?
  • Illegalism - My #1 customer. Though I'm scared he might rob me.
  • Mutualism - He's free market and he doesn't like the state. We disagree on property rights, but he's still cool in my book.
  • Left-Rothbardianism - A fellow believer in right wing economics for left wing endgoals.
  • Austrian School - The only good school of economics.
  • Anarcho-Pacifism - Based and understands that the government's destruction doesn't need to come from violence. Just appreciate the value of counter-economics more! Also please ignore Schulman supporting the war on terror, he changed his mind on that after seeing the results!
  • Anarcho-Frontierism - Our economic ideas are similar, specially regarding markets, and his method of creating anarchism "within" the frontier provides an interesting alternative to my methods - wanna read Heinlein together one of these days?
  • Distributist-Libertarianism - Different means but similar goals.
  • Anarcho-Nihilism - Our flags are very similar! But it doesn't make sense, does it?
    • It doesn't make sense like anything in this world. Just sell me my f*cking gun and weed.

Frenemies

  • Piratism - Also doesn't like copyright, but why the electoralism?
  • Insurrectionary Anarchism - Wanting to end the state is based, but my method is better. At least he buys my weapons.
  • Avaritionism - I'm not usually the type to tell others what they can and can't buy, but perhaps we shouldn't be hiring hitmen.
  • Neo-Libertarianism - Most anarchists would want nothing to do with a imperialistic, tax-paying excuse for a "libertarian" like you, but Neil Schulman supported the War on Terror for pragmatic reasons, so I'll tolerate you for now.
  • Anarcho-Communism - We both want to end the state, but we really don't get along regarding property rights. At least he's a loyal costumer when it comes to selling him weaponry.
  • Apoliticism - You are fed up with voting and political parties, but you don't want to really do anything about them?
  • Propertarianism - THIS IS MY OWN PRIVATE DOMICILE AND I WILL NOT BE HARASSED, B****! What do you mean I can't just sell off your barely used 3rd summer house right now? At least you don't like the state.
  • Hoppeanism - Usually we're in good terms but he can be a bit Nozi for my taste.
  • Ingsoc - Your whole economy works on my principles...

Enemies

  • Corporatocracy - Black market go whoosh!
  • Minarchism - Damn Nozick and his Nozis...
  • Democracy - Voting is violence!
  • Capitalism - I like markets and I like trade, but quite frankly you're a tool of statist oppression, so I have no intention of keeping you around if we ever end up abolishing the state.
  • State Capitalism - See what I mean?
  • Regulationism - Your rules mean nothing to me down here.
  • Police Statism - Pigs keep trying to shut my shit down.
  • Juche - Your totalitarianism and socialism are highly cringe. But thank you for letting me set up black markets in your country!
  • Marxism-Leninism - I made a lot of money smuggling goods into your societies. Your grandson is kinda cool, though.
  • White Nationalism - Just because I supported your right to free speech doesn't mean I actually support your stupid violent and oppressive cause, you damn literal Nozi!
  • Duterteism - Why do you want to kill my 3 million customers?
  • Authoritarian Conservatism - I enjoy smuggling porn into your countries.
  • State Liberalism and State Atheism - I enjoy smuggling bibles into your countries.
  • Hoxhaism - Isolating yourself from the rest of the world does not stop me from smuggling western goods into Albania.
  • Protectionism - Your border does not stop me from smuggling goods.
  • Timocracy - Why yes I sold your 3rd unused house without permission. Problem?
  • Neo-Enlightenment - Nozi, Corporate, Democratic...

Further Information

For overlapping political theory see:

Left-Wing Market Anarchism, Anarcho-Individualism, Anarcho-Capitalism, Left-Rothbardianism, Mutualism, Austrian School, Techno-Anarchism, Anarcho-Pacifism

Literature

Wikipedia

YouTube

Videos

References

  1. ↑ "Counter-Economics: what it is, how it works."
  2. ↑ "Smashing the State for Fun and Profit Since 1969" An Interview With the Libertarian Icon Samuel Edward Konkin III (a.k.a. SEK3)".
  3. ↑ D'Amato, David S. (27 November 2018). "Black-Market Activism: Samuel Edward Konkin III and Agorism". Libertarianism.org. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
  4. ↑ Long, Roderick. T. (4 January 2008). "An Interview With Roderick Long". Liberalism in English. Retrieved 21 December 2019.
  5. ↑ Konkin III, Samuel Edward. "Copywrongs"]. Archived 13 August 2006 at the Wayback Machine.
  6. ↑ Gordon, David (1 April 2011). "Sam Konkin and Libertarian Theory". Retrieved 21 November 2019.
  7. ↑ Konkin III, Samuel Edward. "Last Whole Introduction to Agorism" (PDF). Agorism.info. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  8. ↑ Konkin III, Samuel Edward. "Last Whole Introduction to Agorism" (PDF). Agorism.info. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  9. ↑ Konkin III, Samuel Edward (1980). "New Libertarian Manifesto" (PDF). Agorism.info. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
  10. ↑ [1]

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