What began as a philosophical doctrine ultimately turned into a revolutionary movement. Anarchism has been known since ancient times, but it acquired its current meaning in the mid-19th century. In those days, an increase in confrontation between the working people and the government began. The Great French Revolution was one of the reasons for the emergence of a new ideal of freedom and equality. Conceived democracy was not recognized by the supporters of anarchy. The forefather of this movement was the French thinker Pierre Joseph Proudhon. It was he who owned the famous phrase "Anarchy - the mother of order." The flag under which the members of the fraternities spoke was black. Over time, it was transformed and supplemented. The primary color remains black, but it is combined with others. It depends on the kind of anarchism.
In addition to the flag, anarchists have their own symbolism. There are as many options that they accept. Perhaps everyone, even a slightly educated person, knows what the sign of anarchy looks like. This is the capital letter “A” circled. But this is only the main sign of anarchy.
Black Cross of the Anarchists
This sign of anarchy was originally called the "Red Cross of Anarchy." This name was given in honor of the prototype from which it was made. This emblem was modified from the symbol of the organization "Red Cross". But the name was changed in 1919. This is due to the fact that this year the International Organization of the Red Cross began the same activities as the anarchists under the Black Cross. The Anarchist Black Cross is committed to the elimination of prisons. For the first time, its manifestations occurred in
tsarist Russia. Then the anarchists began to support all political prisoners.
This emblem is presented in the form of a black cross with a clenched fist at the top. This symbolizes strength in unity. The fingers are weak one at a time, but together form a strong fist. And he is able to repulse everyone and everything. And in the time of tsarist Russia, this was true.
Wooden shoe
This symbol of anarchism has long been forgotten. It was popular in the late 19th - early 20th century. This sign has gained distribution in connection with the use of a wooden shoe to disrupt production. It was he who was thrown into machines, thus breaking them. It is from the French word "clogs" (wooden shoe) that the word "sabotage" comes from.
Thus, this subject was immortalized in history. The sign of anarchy “wooden shoe”, although forgotten by many, is one of the main ones. He stood at the origins of the radical movement. In our time, this sign of anarchy is no longer relevant. Pictures of a wooden shoe, however, are familiar to anyone related to this movement.
Black cat (wild cat)
The next sign of anarchy does not have an accurate interpretation. The creator of this symbol, Ralph Chaplin, said: "A black cat has been associated with the idea of ​​protest since childhood, it infuses the fear of sabotage and superstition in owners and employers." On the Chaplin logo is a black cat with a curved back and claws released. He was invented during the period of large strikes of trade unions.
According to legend, the depicted animal has its own prototype. They became one stray cat, who ran into the hospital with protesters who were there. He was skinny and shabby. Hospital visitors fed him. As this cat recovered, so did the protesters. Their requirements were met. But this is just a legend. A story that looks like the truth is as follows. It's all about the so-called pun. In English, the word "strike" sounds like a "walkout", it is in tune with the English version of the phrase "wild cat" - "wild cat". Here is such an interesting story with this emblem.
Well-known sign of anarchy (photo)
The most popular sign remains, of course, “A” in the circle. In the original version of this symbol, the letter was inscribed in a circle. At the present stage, this sign has slightly changed. Now “A” goes beyond the circle. This symbol is respected and recognized by absolutely all anarchists, regardless of their orientation.
The interpretation of this symbol is as follows: A - anarchy, O - order. This symbol perfectly illustrates Proudhon’s phrase “Anarchy is the mother of order”.
Historical reference
The symbol "A" in the circle to the masses was introduced by the Federal Council of Spain by the International Workers Association. That was their sign. A little later, this symbol was used during the Spanish Civil War. In 1956, the Brussels organization adopted it, and in 1964 he migrated to the French Organization of Liberal Youth.
Final words
In conclusion, I would like to say that, only knowing the history, we can judge the present. It is impossible to categorically and from one point of view approach the consideration of a certain issue. For many, the sign of anarchy causes horror and fear, but, having studied history, you can find out that it was a symbol of freedom, equality and justice.
Thus, do not panic at the sight of one of the above characters, but just remember what they meant before. The modern interpretation of anarchism is slightly different from the original.