Accelerationism is a strategy for social change which attempts to speed up an ongoing process in order to more quickly achieve a future inevitable result.
It should be noted that accelerationism is not an ideology, but a strategy. It can, and has been, used to advance a broad range of ideologies: anarchist, statist, communist, fascist, greenie and capitalist. Here's Marx.
But, in general, the protective system of our day is conservative, while the free trade system is destructive. It breaks up old nationalities and pushes the antagonism of the proletariat and the bourgeoisie to the extreme point. In a word, the free trade system hastens the social revolution. It is in this revolutionary sense alone, gentlemen, that I vote in favor of free trade. - Karl Marx, "On the Question of Free Trade" 1848.
Traditionally, accelerationism has been seen as activist, and often terrorist, in nature. However, another current sees accelerationism as general trend in history - something to anticipate and prepare for but not directly effect. One might call this a form of millennialism, since it more or less passively awaits the coming stage of social evolution. But the passivity only pertains to not poking the bear, not directly fighting the State. There is a lot of activity in building voluntary alternatives in areas that the State has captured, such as money and education and free trade.
Whether someone is an active or passive accelerationist may depend a lot on his theory of history - his expectation for how the next stage of social evolution comes about. Thus, if one expects a violent revolution or race war like some Marxists and Racial Supremacists, one would likely be an active accelerationist. Stoke up the fever of the working class or master race and make it boil! On the other hand, if someone expects an evolution (with shocks) through agorism and building parallel structures, then passive accelerationism would seem more reasonable. Let the State hang itself by its own fiat currency!
Thus, anarcho-capitalists and free market "left" libertarians* that favor agorism tend to be passive accelerationists, whereas revolution-minded communists and syndicalists tend to be active accelerationists (if they are accelerationist at all.) Classical Marxism is accelerationist during the Industrial Stage, but anti-accelerationist once it gains power and achieves the Socialist Stage and its dictatorship of the proletariat. Creating a New Communist Man can't be rushed, you know.
Activities such as transacting with cryptocurrency rather than fiat currency, saving in silver rather than fiat, selling and buying products from untaxed agorists rather than taxed statists, and organizing alternative security and arbitration associations, are the types of things market anarchists do. Freedom cells are defensive. These activities generally do not directly interfere with the rulers or their heinous activities, but they do prepare for the inevitable demise of the dollar and their evil rule. If you think the death of the USEmpire is inevitable, then trying to bite it is unnecessary and dangerous. Let the writhing dinosaur die, bro. Then ramp up your silver-backed cryptocurrencies and private defense associations - or mutual defense associations for you "left" libertarians.
The Vonu movement might be seen as accelerationist preparation. Why not have some permanent autonomous zones and temporary autonomous zones for non-landbound people? Whether it is a transition strategy - "interstitial" as some say - or prefiguring nomadism in a free society is debatable. The Permanent Traveler strategy is alive and well, renamed "digital nomad" now and well-known to everyone these days - not just crazy libertarian anarcho-capitalists.
Perhaps one of the best parts of having an accelerationist outlook is that one can enjoy the breakdown of States a lot more, understanding their demise is inevitable and the coming society will be a lot better. For example, while USA statists are moaning and groaning about dollar debasement, we anarchists can kick back with our silver and agorist network and enjoy watching the State self-destruct.
* "Left" libertarians of the Roderick Long, Brad Spangler, C4SS type favor free markets and private property, but use Marxist semantics, such as referring to corporatism as "capitalism." Once you break their "code" it is quite clear that they are actually closet anarcho-capitalists (with a special interest in unions and employee-owned firms.)
See: Understanding Closet Anarcho-capitalism
