Counter-economics

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Counter-economics is an economic theory and revolutionary method consisting of direct action carried out through the black market or the gray market. As a term, it was originally used by American libertarian activists and theorists Samuel Edward Konkin III and J. Neil Schulman. The former defined it as the study or practice "of all peaceful human action which is forbidden by the State".[1]

The term is short for counter-establishment economics and may also be referred to as counter-politics. Counter-economics was integrated by Schulman into Konkin's doctrine of agorism,[2] a left-libertarian[3][4] social philosophy and branch of left-wing market anarchism that advocates creating a society in which all relations between people are voluntary exchanges.[5]

Within libertarianism in the United States, counter-economics has been adopted by anarcho-capitalists[citation needed], left-wing market anarchists, as well as more anti-capitalist anarchists.

  1. ^ "Agorism: Revolutionary market anarchism" Archived 2022-04-27 at the Wayback Machine. Agorism.eu.org. "Counter economics: The study and/or practice of all peaceful human action which is forbidden by the State".
  2. ^ Afterword by Samuel Edward Konkin in Alongside Night (1999). Pulpless.com. p. 274. ISBN 1-58445-120-3. ISBN 978-1-58445-120-4.
  3. ^ "Smashing the State for Fun and Profit Since 1969: An Interview With the Libertarian Icon Samuel Edward Konkin III (a.k.a. SEK3)". Spaz. Retrieved 21 Deczember 2019.
  4. ^ D'Amato, David S. (27 November 2018). "Black-Market Activism: Samuel Edward Konkin III and Agorism". Libertarianism.org. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
  5. ^ Konkin III, Samuel Edward (December 2008). An Agorist Primer (PDF). Kopubco. Retrieved 21 December 2019. The goal of agorism is the agora. The society of the open marketplace as near to untainted by theft, assault, and fraud as can be humanly attained is as close to a free society as can be achieved. And a free society is the only one in which each and every one of us can satisfy his or her subjective values without crushing others' values by violence and coercion.