What started out as a philosophy eventually turned into a revolutionary movement. Anarchism has been known since ancient times, but it acquired its current meaning in the middle of the 19th century. In those days, the confrontation between the working people and the government began to grow. The Great French Revolution was one of the reasons for the emergence of a new ideal of freedom and equality. The conceived democracy was not recognized by the supporters of anarchy. The forefather of this movement was the French thinker Pierre Joseph Proudhon. It is to him that the famous phrase “Anarchy is the mother of order” belongs. The flag under which the members of the fraternities performed was black. Over time, it has evolved and expanded. The main color remains black, but it is combined with others. It depends on the type of anarchism.
Besides the flag, anarchists have their own symbols. There are as many options as they accept. Perhaps every even slightly educated person knows what the sign of anarchy looks like. It's a capital "A" surrounded by a circle. But this is only the basic sign of anarchy.
Anarchist Black Cross
This sign of anarchy was originally called "Redcross 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 Red Cross organization. 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 activity as the anarchists under the "black cross". The Anarchist Black Cross organization is involved in 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 fist clenched at the top. It symbolizes strength in unity. The fingers are weak one at a time, but together they form a strong fist. And he is able to fight back against everyone and everything. And in the days of Tsarist Russia, this was true.
Wooden shoe
This symbol of anarchism has long been forgotten. It was popular in the late 19th and early 20th century. This sign has become widespread in connection with the use of a wooden shoe to disrupt production. It was he who was thrown into the machines, thus breaking them. It is from the French word "sabot" (wooden shoe) that the word "sabotage" came from.
Thus this item 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 the wooden shoe, however, are familiar to anyone associated with the movement.
Black cat (wild cat)
The following sign of anarchy has no exact interpretation. The creator of this symbol, Ralph Chaplin, said: "The black cat has been associated with the idea of protest since childhood, it instills in owners and employers the fear of sabotage and superstition." Chaplin's emblem is a black cat with a curved back and extended claws. It was invented during the period of great trade union strikes.
According to legend, the depicted animal has its own prototype. They became one stray cat who ran into the hospital with the protesters who were there. He was skinny and shabby. Visitors to the hospital fed him. As this cat recovered, the protesters began to improve. Their demands were met. But this is just a legend. The story, which is similar to the truth, is as follows. It's all about the so-called play on words. In English, the word "strike" sounds like "walkout", which is consonant with the English version of the phrase "wild cat" - "wild cat". Here is such an interesting story behind this emblem.
The well-known sign of anarchy (photo)
The most popular sign is, of course, "A" in a circle. In the original version of this symbol, the letter was inscribed in a circle. At the present stage, this sign has changed a little. Now "A" is outside the circle. This symbol is respected and recognizable by absolutely all anarchists, regardless of their orientation.
The interpretation of this symbol is as follows: A - anarchy, O - order. This symbol is the best illustration of Proudhon's phrase Anarchy -mother of order.”
Historical background
The symbol "A" in a circle was introduced to the general public by the Federal Council of Spain by the International Workers' Association. This was their sign. A little later, this symbol was used during the Spanish Civil War. In 1956, the Brussels Organization took over him, and in 1964 he migrated to the French Organization of the Liberal Youth.
Final words
In conclusion, I would like to say that only knowing the history, one can judge the present. It is impossible to approach a certain issue categorically and from one point of view. For many, the sign of anarchy causes horror and fear, but by studying 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 symbols, but just remember what they meant before. The modern interpretation of anarchism is slightly different from the original.
