P2P connectivity almost always requires a third party to do a three-way handshake. In IPv4 this is because of NAT, and in IPv6 it's usually still needed due to stateful firewalls. Having stable upstream nodes allows rapid bootstrapping of a P2P network by providing known stable points to act as introducers. You can do it in a less hierarchical fashion, but at the expense of performance and stability and possibly security unless you are very careful (see: sybil attacks).

Curtis' political views are what they are. I fundamentally disagree with the core thesis myself-- while I do have problems with pure democracy I see no evidence that aristocracy is in any way superior. But at the same time I believe in treating others' views with respect and respecting their right to hold them. I also must point out that Curtis' views are often hysterically misrepresented and exaggerated, and I doubt he has much to do with today's alt-right which is more of a populist phenomenon. In fact I could see a neo-reactionary calling the alt-right "demotic", which as far as I recall is the term they use for rhetoric of that style.