Communist symbolism

Communist symbolism represents a variety of themes, including revolution, the proletariat, the peasantry, agriculture, or international solidarity. The red flag, the hammer and sickle and the red star or variations thereof are some of the symbols adopted by communist movements, governments, and parties worldwide.

A tradition of including communist symbolism in socialist-style emblems and flags began with the flag of the Soviet Union and has since been taken up by a long line of socialist states.

In Latvia, Indonesia, Ukraine and Lithuania, communist symbols are banned and displays in public for non-educational use are considered a criminal offense.^[1]

as well as protest music. The Internationale falls under this category.

Revolutionary music

an art style developed in the Soviet Union.

Socialist realism

Crossed proletarian implements, including picks, hoes, scythes and in the case of the a brush to represent the intelligentsia. The ubiquitous hammer and sickle also belongs in this category.

Workers' Party of Korea

Rising sun, exemplified on the state emblems of the , Turkmenistan, Croatia, Romania and PASOK.

Soviet Union

Cogwheels, exemplified on the emblems of and China.

Angola

Wreaths of wheat, cotton, corn or other crops, present on the emblems of almost every historical Communist-ruled state.

Cherries resemblance from the exemplified in the emblem of the Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia.

Le Temps des cerises

Rifle such as the on the flag of Mozambique and Mosin–Nagant on Albanian lek.

AK-47

Red banners with yellow lettering, exemplified on the emblems of and Soviet Union.

Vietnam

Red or yellow stars, perhaps the most common communist symbol behind the hammer and sickle.

Open books, exemplified on the state emblems of and Angola; and also on the party emblems of Communist parties of Russia and Ukraine.

Mozambique

Factories or industrial equipment, exemplified on the emblems of , Bosnia and Herzegovina, Democratic Kampuchea, emblem of CPUSA and Azerbaijan.

North Korea

Natural landscapes, exemplified on the emblems of , Macedonia, Romania, and Karelo-Finland.

Armenia

Torches, exemplified on the .

Emblem of Yugoslavia

Sword and shield, exemplified on the emblem and the Mother Motherland.

Soviet Committee for State Security

Cross and sickle, the symbols of the and Christian socialism

Christian communism

Che Guevara

The , exemplified in the logo of the Socialist Labor Party of America

Arm and hammer

While not necessarily communist in nature, the following graphic elements are often incorporated into the flags, seals and propaganda of communist countries and movements.

Notable examples of communist states that use no overtly communist imagery on their flags, emblems or other graphic representations are Cuba and the former Polish People's Republic.

Flag of the Soviet Union

Emblem of the Chinese Communist Party

Flag of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army

Flag of the Workers' Party of Korea with a hammer, sickle and paintbrush.

Flag of the Turkish Revolutionary People's Liberation Party/Front

Flag of the Communist Party of Bangladesh

Flag of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic from 1954 to 1991

Flag of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic from 1950 to 1992

Flag of the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic from 1951 to 1991

Flag of the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic from 1952 to 1991

Flag of the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic from 1953 to 1992

Flag of the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic from 1951 to 1990

Flag of the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic from 1956 to 1991

Flag of the Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic from 1953 to 1988

Flag of the Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic from 1952 to 1990

Flag of the Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic from 1953 to 1990

Flag of the Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic from 1952 to 1992

Flag of the Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic from 1953 to 1991

Flag of the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic from 1952 to 1990

Flag of the Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic from 1953 to 1992

Flag of the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic from 1953 to 1990

Flag of the Karelo-Finnish Soviet Socialist Republic from 1953 to 1956

Emblem of the Soviet Army

Logo of the Communist International

Symbol of the Fourth International

First State Emblem of the Soviet Union (1923-1936)

State emblem of Lao People's Democratic Republic (1975-1991)

Logo of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union

Logo of the Communist Party of Vietnam

Logo of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party

Logo of the Nepal Communist Party

Logo of the Italian Communist Party

Logo of the Communist Party USA with a hammer, sickle and gear.

The cross and sickle, symbol of Christian communism and Christian socialism.

Logo of the Communist Party of India with a sickle and wheat.

The National emblem of East Germany, a compass, hammer and circle of rye.

The Emblem of the Hungarian People's Republic from 1946 to 1949, a hammer and ear of wheat.

The Emblem of Angola.

Logo of FRELIMO used from 1987 to 2004 with a hammer and hoe.

Coat of arms of the People's Republic of the Congo with a gold hammer, hoe, and star.

Arvidsson, Stefan (2017). Style and mythology of socialism: socialist idealism, 1871-1914. Routledge.

Barisone, Silvia, Czech, Hans-Jörg & Doll, Nikola (2007). Kunst und Propaganda im Streit der Nationen 1930 - 1945: eine Ausstellung des Deutschen Historischen Museums Berlin in Zusammenarbeit mit The Wolfsonian-Florida International University. Dresden: Sandstein.

Groys, Boris (2011 [1992]). The total art of Stalinism: avant-garde, aesthetic dictatorship, and beyond. Verso Books.

King, David (2009). Red star over Russia: a visual history of the Soviet Union from 1917 to the death of Stalin : posters, photographs and graphics from the David King collection. London: Tate.