99: Broligarchs and Accelerationists: How the New Right is Dismantling Democracy

Democracy is no longer under siege—it is being systematically dismantled. What was once an incremental erosion has accelerated into a full-blown ideological revolution. Two of the most potent forces shaping this moment—Curtis Yarvin’s neo-reactionary vision and the rising current of effective accelerationism—are driving an aggressive transformation of the American political system. With Trump’s new regime taking shape, these movements, backed by an emerging class of tech-aligned "broligarchs," threaten to upend democracy itself.

The Convergence of Reaction and Acceleration

Curtis Yarvin, the ideological architect of the so-called "Dark Enlightenment," has long argued that democracy is a failed system, advocating instead for a strongman rule modeled on corporate governance. His vision of "CEO monarchism" aligns disturbingly well with Trump’s style of leadership—a system where legitimacy is based on raw executive power rather than institutional checks and balances. Yarvin’s ideas have directly influenced figures such as J.D. Vance, now vice president, and billionaire Peter Thiel, who has heavily funded reactionary and accelerationist projects.

At the same time, the effective accelerationist movement (e/acc) seeks to abandon democratic incrementalism in favor of a radical embrace of technological and political upheaval. While e/acc originated as a contrarian take on stagnation in progress, it has increasingly become a rallying cry for those who see democracy as an impediment to rapid transformation. Prominent figures within the e/acc movement include Thiel-backed thinkers such as Nick Land, Balaji Srinivasan, and various techno-libertarian influencers who advocate for a post-democratic future driven by AI and sovereign digital enclaves.

This synthesis—an autocratic vision married to the techno-accelerationist imperative—has found willing champions among a new generation of ultra-wealthy power brokers. The broligarchs, a fusion of Silicon Valley billionaires, crypto evangelists, and nationalist oligarchs, are no longer content to simply influence politics from the sidelines. They are actively installing their preferred leaders and dismantling what remains of the liberal order.

The Liberal Order Can No Longer Defend Itself

Liberalism, in its classical sense, was built on the foundation of reason, discourse, and pluralism. But it was also built on a slow-moving bureaucracy that struggles to counter fast, ruthless ideological insurgencies. In an era of algorithmic governance, meme-driven political campaigns, and billionaire-backed power grabs, the procedural safeguards of democracy are proving insufficient.

The very mechanisms meant to protect democratic institutions—free speech, open markets, and independent judiciary—are now being exploited by reactionary and accelerationist forces to dismantle the system from within. A regime that derives its legitimacy not from the will of the people but from the whims of the powerful is no longer a distant threat—it is the present reality.

The Next Ideological Counter-Offensive

If liberal democracy cannot adapt to this new playing field, it will not survive. But what comes next?

This is the urgent question for those who oppose the rise of the broligarchic order. The first instinct of the establishment is to double down on the old model—to call for bipartisanship, to hope for a return to “normal.” But there is no normal to return to.

The most effective opposition will likely come from movements that break with the status quo entirely. Some possibilities:

• Radical Democracy: A decentralized and technologically empowered version of democracy that outpaces bureaucratic stagnation, utilizing new forms of governance, liquid democracy, and participatory AI systems to make decision-making more responsive and resistant to elite capture.

• Technocratic Syndicalism: A new form of governance where workers and communities control the technological infrastructure that increasingly dictates social organization, rather than ceding it to billionaires and corporations.

• Eco-Authoritarianism: A movement that embraces strong central control but redirects it towards addressing existential climate threats rather than consolidating corporate and state power.

• Neo-Republicanism: A revitalized vision of civic virtue and active citizenship that seeks to resist both technocratic control and autocratic rule, emphasizing localized governance and mass mobilization against oligarchic dominance.

• Left-Wing Conservatism: A movement that blends traditional social values with economic redistribution and environmental protection, rejecting both neoliberal individualism and right-wing oligarchy. It seeks to protect communities from unchecked technological and corporate influence while preserving cultural continuity.

Each of these approaches represents a possible future in which power is realigned. The question is whether any of these emerging ideologies can organize fast enough to counter the well-funded, well-connected reactionary accelerationists now shaping the present.

The contest for the future of authority is already underway. If liberalism is dying, what replaces it is still up for grabs.

We’ll be exploring these issues and more on future episodes of Red-Tory!