Agorism

Agorism is a libertarian political philosophy founded by Samuel Edward Konkin III (SEK3) that promotes the creation of a voluntary society through counter-economics and peaceful revolution against the state. The term was first introduced at CounterCon I in 1974 and emphasizes direct action through black and grey market activity as a means of living free from state control while simultaneously weakening state power.

At its core, agorism advocates for the development of alternative economic structures outside of state control, what Konkin called the "counter-economy." This includes all voluntary exchanges that happen outside of state oversight - from informal barter and unlicensed businesses to cryptocurrency usage and tax avoidance. Agorists believe that by growing these parallel economic structures, they can gradually make state institutions irrelevant.

The philosophy represents a left-wing interpretation of Murray Rothbard's anarcho-capitalism, emphasizing worker liberation and opposition to corporate power alongside opposition to state authority. Unlike other anarchist schools that focus on direct confrontation with the state, agorism promotes a gradual transition through expanding counter-economic activity until the state becomes obsolete. This approach aligns with broader crypto-anarchist and cypherpunk movements that use technology to create alternative systems beyond state control.