Upon mention of the word "anarchist," most people today will conjure up an image of a bomb-throwing, vandalizing hoodlum. But this propaganda image created by the pro-state establishment media is nothing more than that, a propaganda image. Let us explore the true meaning of anarchism and various schools of thought within the anarchist movement.
The etymology of the word "anarchist" comes from the Greek ἄναρχος (anarchos), meaning "without leaders" or "without rulers." This is quite different from the "without rules" propaganda image; rather than a chaotic state of lawlessness, an anarchist advocates a form of spontaneous order in which there is no monopoly on the enactment and enforcement of rules.
The list items consist of the flags commonly used by various schools of thought within the anarchist movement, along with a brief description of the beliefs of those schools of thought.
Anarchist black flag
The solid black flag is the original anarchist flag, being associated with anarchist movements since the 1880s. There are three degrees of symbolism in the solid black flag. First, as black is the absence of color, a black flag represents the absence of a flag, and therefore the absence of a nation-state. Second, black is the opposite of white, and a white flag is a universal symbol of surrender. The black flag is therefore a symbol of absolute opposition to surrender. Third, black is traditionally a color of death and mourning, so the black flag symbolizes those who have died in the struggle to create a stateless society.
Anarcho-syndicalist flag
The red-and-black diagonal flag originated with anarcho-syndicalists in the Spanish Civil War. Anarcho-syndicalism is a branch of anarchism that advocates revolutionary industrial unionism as a means to replace capitalism and the state with a democratically managed stateless society. The red-and-black flag is also used by anarcho-communists, who advocate the abolition of capitalism, the state, wages, and private property ownership in favor of collective ownership of the means of production, direct democracy, voluntary associations, and workers' councils. Anarcho-communists believe in the guiding principle “from each according to his ability, to each according to his need.”
Anarcho-capitalist flag
The yellow-and-black or gold-and-black diagonal flag was first used in public at an event organized by Robert LeFevre in Colorado in 1963, and has since been adopted as a symbol of the anarcho-capitalist movement. Anarcho-capitalists advocate the abolition of the state in favor of personal sovereignty in a free market, with all services that are currently provided by governments being provided by competing agencies which are funded without force, fraud, or coercion. Many anarchists of other schools of thought do not consider anarcho-capitalism to be a proper form of anarchism, while many anarcho-capitalists find similar faults with other schools of thought within the anarchist movement.
Green anarchism flag
The green-and-black diagonal flag is used by green anarchists, social ecologists, and anarcho-primitivists. All of these schools of thought place emphasis on environmental issues, and critique the role that nation-states have played in damaging nature. Social ecologists view environmental problems as being rooted in social problems, with the solutions being achieved through radical democracy. Anarcho-primitivists suggest a return to a pre-industrialized society through deindustrialization, abolition of division of labor, and abandonment of large-scale technology.
Anarcha-feminist flag
The purple-and-black diagonal flag is used by anarcha-feminists. Anarcha-feminism combines anarchism and feminism, viewing both patriarchy and the state as forms of involuntary hierarchy that must be abolished, and viewing the abolition of both patriarchy and statism as an essential part of class struggle.
Queer anarchism flag
The pink-and-black diagonal flag is used by queer anarchists. Queer anarchism is a school of thought which views the abolition of the state and social revolution as means to eliminate discrimination against LGBTQ people, patriarchy, and the gender binary. The movement is also called anarcha-queer, and is closely related to anarcha-feminism.
Anarcho-pacifist flag
The white-and-black diagonal flag is used by anarcho-pacifists. Anarcho-pacifism combines anarchism and pacifism, rejecting the state as a violent, coercive institution while also rejecting the use of violence to bring about an end to the state. Some anarcho-pacifists also reject capitalism as a violent institution.
Agorist flag
The gray-and-black diagonal flag is used by agorists. Agorism is a free market anarchist school of thought which advocates the use of counter-economics to bring about a peaceful end to the state. Methods include the use of alternative currencies, entrepreneurship, self-sufficiency, and the practice of all peaceful economic activity that is forbidden by the state. Agorism is closely related to anarcho-capitalism.
Mutualist flag
The orange-and-black diagonal flag is used by mutualists. Mutualist anarchism is a school of thought focusing on freedom of association and reciprocity. Mutualism is based on the labor theory of value, which holds that the value of labor or its products should reflect the amount of labor necessary to produce an article of exactly similar and equal utility. Early mutualist anarchists viewed their school of thought as a synthesis between individualist anarchism and collectivist anarchism, as well as a synthesis between capitalism and communism.
Anarcho-transhumanist flag
The blue-and-black diagonal flag is used by anarcho-transhumanists. Anarcho-transhumanism is a school of thought which views advances in technology and improvements in the human condition as the most important means of achieving the end of the nation-state. Anarcho-transhumanists believe that social liberty is strongly linked to material liberty, and that freedom is ultimately a matter of expanding our capacity and opportunities to engage with the world around us. Anarcho-transhumanism is related to anarcho-capitalism and agorism, while being opposed to anarcho-primitivism.
