ABSTRACT
In concluding the text, this chapter discusses the relevance of vanguardist organizations and ideology in the early twenty-first century, in terms of possible directions of vanguardism after the subaltern transition. The conclusion begins by noting technological and organizational changes, including the increased importance of “leaderless resistance” and the rise of “networked” organizations, which may result in changes in ideological focus, leading to an increased importance for ideological hegemony by vanguard groups rather than mobilization structures. The next section considers an “emergent” form of vanguardism in the current period – extremist environmentalism, which can be called the vanguard of the Earth or “eco-vanguardism” – and notes how this new form deviates from previous types of vanguardism. Finally, the conclusion considers how parts of vanguardism have been “mainstreamed” into political discourse. Specifically, this section discusses the various ways in which “category-based epistemology” has moved beyond vanguardist groups into more general discussions, including ideologies as disparate as intersectionality and the “alt-right”.
