Red Star Enamel Pin

Enamel pin featuring the red star of socialism: a theory or system of social organization that advocates the vesting of the ownership and control of the means of production and distribution, of capital, land, etc., in the community as a whole.

As discussed in An Anarchist FAQ’s appendix on Symbols of Anarchy, anarchists at first used the Red Flag as their symbol of choice, with the Black Flag slowly replacing it over a period of many decades. Both flags, however, had their roots in working class struggle and protest, both were anti-capitalist symbols raised by working class people in revolt against exploitation and oppression.

Why did the Red Flag become the symbol of choice for the socialist movement, Proudhon and Bakunin included? For this, we need to look at the 1848 Revolution in France and, in particular, the activities of that perennial state-communist revolutionary, Louis Auguste Blanqui. It was in February 1848 that the Red Flag “appeared during the insurrection for the first time as a workers’ banner on a large scale, alongside the tricolore. It symbolised their wish for break with the Orleanist past.” Blanqui’s first symbolic act of that revolt was to issue a manifesto “deploring the decision to retain the tricolore as the national flag instead of replacing it with the Red Flag.” The 25th of February saw a demonstration of armed citizens carrying red flags. [Hayward, Op. Cit., p. 245]

As with the use of the Black Flag by anarchists, the use of the Red Flag by socialists of all tendencies spread from France. In Britain, the Red Flag was adopted as a Chartist symbol on 31st of December, 1849. On the 10th of November 1850 European Socialists in exile in London adopted it in place of their national flags, “a prelude to it becoming the emblem of the First International in 1866.” [Op. Cit., p. 246] Its adoption by the International Workers Association should come as no surprise given the key role the French followers of Proudhon played in setting it up. [George Woodcock, Anarchism, pp. 198-9]

It comes, therefore, as no surprise that the newspapers of the time denounced “the Red Flag of anarchy”, given that anarchists (like others in the revolutionary workers movement) raised it in their struggles and revolts. Both Proudhon and Bakunin associated themselves with that symbol, just as they both proclaimed themselves socialists. However, after their deaths state socialism came to dominate most labour movements in the world and the Red Flag became associated with Marxian social democracy and anarchists sought other symbols. With Communard and indefatigable revolutionary Louise Michel taking the initiative, that other flag of French working class revolt, the Black Flag, was taken up as a replacement.

These pins are soft enamel on silver metal, measure .73 of an inch and feature premium locking pin backs.