Anarchism

(work in progress!)

Last modified: 2005-11-19 by antonio martins
Keywords: anarchism | anarcho-syndicalism | acracy | black flag | a | circled a | eco-anarchism | michel (louise) |
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• Anarchist flag use
• Circle-A symbol
• Black flag
• Red and black diagonal flag
• Variant and composite symbols
• Non anarchist use of anarchist symbols

• ARKM - Anarchisten/Rätekommunisten München / Anarchists and Soviet Communists Munich (Germany)
• Anarchist movements in Brittany (France)
• ASSA - Association of Free Socialists-Anarchists (Russia)
• Australian anarchist flag
• Confederación Nacional del Trabajo - Federación Anarquista Ibérica (Spain)
• Ejército Popular Revolucionario / Partido Democrático Popular Revolucionario (Mexico)
• Ejército Zapatista de Liberción Nacional (Mexico)
• FAU - Freie ArbeiterInnen Union / Free Workers’ Union(Germany)
• Frente Zapatista de Liberación Nacional (Mexico)
• Federazione dei Communisti Anarchici (Italy)
• Movimiento Territorial de Liberación (Argentina)
• Resistência Popular (Brazil)
• Uruguayan anarchist flags
• Workers Solidarity Alliance (United States)
• Youth International Part (United States)

• Flags in politics

• Anarchist Organizations
• The Symbols of Anarchy (annex to An Anarchist FAQ)

Anarchist flag use

There is the red-n’-black flag, with or without the A; and the black one. I’m guessing, of course, but couldn’t these different flags reflect different trends within the anarchic movements, being the red and black used by currents related with the anarcho-syndicalism and the black one used by the others?
Jorge Candeias, 17 Aug 1999

The black/red is used by anarcho-syndicalists but the black one (with or without circle-A) seems to be used by all other anarchists (and sometimes by the anarcho-syndicalists too).
Marcus Wendel, 17 Aug 1999

In addition to any other flags, a number of anarchists around the world may fly their national flags upside down as a symbol of distress (much like the mourning theme in the black flag) and a simultaneous denial of state authority.
Matthias Speer, 05 Feb 2003

Variants and composite symbols

Apart from the circle-A, another common symbol is a star (although I have seen a black flag with a white star carried by a neo-Nazi demonstration) or a raised clenched left fist (symbolising strength through unity and resistance — it is also an anarchist salute).
Matthias Speer, 05 Feb 2003

Eco-anarchists

I have also seen a green and black eco-anarchist flag resembling the anarcho-syndicalist flag.
Matthias Speer, 05 Feb 2003

Red circled A on black

I have also seen a black flag with a red circle-A.
Matthias Speer, 05 Feb 2003

Circled A on diagonal flag

Both arrangements (red/black diagonal and circled A) may also appear together.
António Martins, 07 Dec 1999

Black circled A on dark black

The website Flag.Blackened.net, an anarchist e-zine, has on the letterhead a long red pennant-like flag, with a black encicled A on its upper hoist. Could this flag be used in the real world? I have never seen it.
João Madureira, 29 Apr 2003

Non anarchist use of anarchist symbols

Anarchism symbols (including the very word "anarchy") have been used also for ideologically unrelated causes, such as

• socio-economical or age gap derived anger,
• non-ideological rebellion,
• general anti-authority protest, or
• anti-regulation individualism.

As a teacher I see the anarchy symbol a lot at school. It is on stickers, drawings, etc. It is used by students to express their anger toward some of my controlling, domineering and fear-inducing colleagues.
Edward Mooney, 13 Aug 1999

It is not enough to be seriously considered as anarchist to just simply say so, or even just use the word in a compound name. We’ve seen anarcho-capitalists, anarcho-fascists, what next?… Anarcho-christians, maybe? Like many other words in the political jargon, this is just an abusive and misleading useage of a formerly well-established term.
António Martins, 05 Jul 2003