Anarchist symbolism
The anarchy symbol, as it is popularly known, represents the ideals of anarchism. In recent years, however, the symbol has become associated less with anarchism in general and more with the anarcho-punk movement.
It should be noted that this particular symbol is certainly not the only one used by anarchists. In fact, the ideals espoused by the various anarchist movements preclude the use of a single symbol. There are many other symbols of anarchism, most notably the black flag.
Circle-A
Description
The anarchy symbol that most people are familiar with consists of the capital letter "A", surrounded by a circle. The word for "anarchy" starts with an "A" in many languages, making this an internationally recognizable symbol. The circle symbolizes unity. Also, as it emphasizes the letter "A", the circle symbolizes determination. Many anarchist groups benefit from a feeling of solidarity with other groups, though they may be separated geographically and by differing views on anarchy.
The symbol can be seen as an embodiment of Pierre-Joseph Proudhon's paradoxical maxim, "anarchy is order". Proudhon, a 19th century anarchist, is known for such statements; he also famously stated that "property is theft". According to this reading of the symbol, the circle represents the O in order.
The "A" has an additional symbolic meaning in Italian: autogestione (literally self-gestation), meaning self-determination. This refers to the radical action of factory workers taking control of their factories, running them democratically without a boss. Anarchist movements are often associated with trade unions.
History
The exact year that circle-A came into use as a symbol of anarchy is unclear. The earliest report of the circle-A is its use in the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939). There is a picture of an anarchist militia member with the circle-A painted clearly on the back of his helmet.
On 25 November 1956, the French anarchist group Alliance Ouvriere Anarchiste adopted the circle-A as its official symbol.
Some sources assert that the French anarchist group Jeunesse Libertaire invented the symbol in 1964. However, this is doubtful because of the symbol's earlier sightings.
Many individuals erroneously believe that the circle-A originated with the anarcho-punk movement, which was part of the punk rock movement of the late 1970s. However, the punk movement certainly helped knowledge of the anarchy symbol become widespread, even among non-anarchists.
Anarcho-punk modifications
Frequently, the artist drawing the symbol will add a number of embellishments in order to further symbolize the ideals of anarchism. Almost always, the symbol is drawn by hand without the aid of straightedges, so as not to be overly neat. As anarchism is a rejection of the pre-existing order, the anarchy symbol thus distances itself from other symbols that are traditionally drawn neatly (e.g., currency symbols).
The "A" is frequently rendered with its horizontal line extending beyond the two diagonals, and often skewed off of the horizontal. The letter is typically scaled so that the majority of the five points of the "A" lie outside the circle, although the center of the letter remains inside. Namely, the five points are (1) the intersection of the two diagonals; (2) and (3) the other ends of the two diagonals; (4) and (5) the ends of the horizonal line.
The result of this particular typical embellishment, intentionally or not, is a similarity to the pentagram, which some Christians frequently associated with satanism. Ironically, both the pentagram and the anarchy symbol are primarily used to symbolize ideas and ideals that have nothing to do with satanism. Despite this fact, the pentagram and (to a lesser degree) the anarchy symbol are associated with satanism by many Westerners.
Occasionally, the symbol will be made to look like it was drawn in flame or blood splatters. Even if this embellishment is not used, red on a black background is a popular color choice since these colors have been associated with the anarchist movement for over a century (see anarcho-syndicalism and compare with the anarcho-syndicalist red-and-black flag).
These last few design choices may be due to the possibly unfounded association of anarchy with satanism — many who draw the anarchy symbol are using it simply as a symbol of rebellion against authority. The Western world has historically been under the authority of Christianity. It is natural, therefore, for rebellious youth to seek out what they view as the antithesis of authority, which in Christianity's case is Satanism. Lucifer's Fall from grace depicts images of rebellion against the authority of God, a stance demonstrating a parallel between Satanism and anarchism.
The anarcho-punk movement embraces the heavily stylized circle-A. More traditional, political anarchists do not add so many embellishments, or they don't use this symbol at all. Some anarchists feel that the symbol has been commercialized by a few artists wishing to sell albums, caring little for the benefits of anarchy as a system of non-goverment.
As a result of its draw as a symbol of rebellion and of the anarcho-punk movement, the anarchy symbol is frequently seen drawn or spray-painted on walls as graffiti.
Black flag
Description
The color black has been associated with anarchy since the 1880s. Many anarchist groups contain the word "black" in their names. There have been a number of anarchist periodicals titled Black Flag, as well as a hardcore punk band by the same name (see Black Flag (band)).
The uniform blackness of this flag is a representation of the anarchist propensity to break down barricades. Specifically, it represents internationalism in that it negates all borders. Additionally, a white flag is the universal symbol for surrender to superior force — thus a black flag can be viewed as the polar opposite of surrender.
History
Many anarchist theories are adopted and modified versions of the central tenets of socialism, whose symbol is a red flag. As anarchism began to distinguish itself from socialism in the 1880s, it simultaneously adopted the black flag as its symbol to differentiate it from other socialist currents. It should be noted, however, that anarchism is not a direct descendant of socialism. Anarchism did not spring from any one source. For example, the writings of Max Stirner had a strong influence in the formation of modern anarchism.
Regardless of the exact origins of anarchism, it is a fact that the color black became associated with anarchism starting in the 1880s. The French anarchist paper, Le Drapeau Noir ("The Black Flag"), which existed until 1882, is one of the first published references to use black as an anarchist color. Black International was the name of a London anarchist group founded in July 1881.
In the Russian Revolution of 1917, Nestor Makhno's anarchist forces were known collectively as the Black Army. They fought under a black flag with some success until they were crushed by the Red Army. Emiliano Zapata, a Mexican revolutionary in the 1910s, used a black flag with a skull and crossbones and the Blessed Virgin Mary on it. The flag's slogan was "Tierra y Libertad" ("Land and Liberty"). In 1925, Japanese anarchists formed the Black Youth League. In 1945, the group named their journal Kurohata ("Black Flag").
More recently, Parisian students carried black (and red) flags during the massive General Strike of May 1968. In the same year, these flags were seen at the American Students for a Democratic Society national convention. Also at about the same time, the British based journal Black Flag was started, and is still in existence today. Black flags remain a symbol of anarchists today.
Other anarchist symbols
The circle-A and the black flag are the primary symbols applicable to anarchism as a whole. However, various anarchist groups throughout history have developed their own symbols.
Red-and-black flag
The red-and-black flag is the symbol of the anarcho-syndicalism movement. Anarcho-syndicalism, which is part of the labor union movement, draws its principles from both anarchism and more heavily from socialism than many other anti-capitalist anarchist movements. As discussed in the black flag section, black is the traditional color of anarchism, and red is the traditional color of socialism.
The red-and-black flag combines the two colors in equal parts, with a simple diagonal split. This symbolizes the co-existence of anarchist and socialist ideals within the anarcho-syndicalism movement. There is no standard as to which corners the diagonal line connects, nor which color goes on top.
A notable anarcho-syndicalist group is Spain's Confederación Nacional del Trabajo (CNT), which still exists today. The CNT, along with the Federación Anarquista Ibérica (FAI), a major militant faction within the CNT, was a major player in the popular anarchism movements in Spain of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
This group has its own version of the red-and-black flag with its initials on the flag. CNT is in the red, while FAI is in the black — the color of anarchy — as the FAI was founded in 1927 to keep the CNT dedicated to anarchist principles.
Black cat
The black cat, usually with an arched back and with claws and teeth bared, is closely associated with anarchism, especially with anarcho-syndicalism. The name Black Cat has been used for numerous anarchist-affiliated collectives and cooperatives, including a well-known music venue in Austin, Texas and a now-defunct "collective kitchen" in the University District of Seattle, Washington.
As a symbol, the black cat has historically been associated with witchcraft, ill omens, and death. It dates back to ancient Hebrew and Babylonian cultures. The witchcraft usage has persisted into modern times; anarchism shares the black cat symbol with witchcraft and Wicca, though the latter two generally do not represent the cat with its back arched in a fighting stance.
Another important Anarcho-Syndicalist group is the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW or the Wobblies), involved in early unionization drives in America in the early 1900's and currently involved in projects such as the unionization of the first Starbucks coffee shop in New York city. They are known to embrace the cat as a symbol of the worker's movement.
Black Cross
The Anarchist Black Cross organization's primary goal is to eliminate all prisons. It originated in Tsarist Russia as a support organization for political prisoners. Their symbol is a black cross, with the upwards-facing line being replaced with a closed fist, a symbol also associated with anarchism (among other things).
The cross is a modification of the Red Cross emblem used by International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (founded 1863), the world's largest group of humanitarian organizations. Originally called the Anarchist Red Cross, the name was changed in 1920 (approx.) to avoid confusion when the Red Cross started organizing relief for prisoners as well. It should be noted that like the Red Cross, this symbol is not intended to be overtly Christian, though it may be ultimately derived from the Christian cross. The Red Cross and Anarchist Black Cross are humanitarian symbols; the Christian cross is a religious symbol.
Wooden shoe
The wooden shoe was used symbolically by anarchists in the 19th and early 20th century, although it has largely faded from use since then. The French word for wooden shoe, sabot is the probable root of the word sabotage: workers needing a break from work would supposedly throw a wooden shoe into the gears of factory or farm machinery, effectively stopping work until the equipment could be repaired.
External links
- An Anarchist FAQ - Appendix 2 - The Symbols of Anarchy
- Text-only version of the above
- Does the anarchy symbol convey any messages of hate?
- Libertatis Æquilibritas, a symbol of anarcho-capitalism