Alike most other movements, and especially political movements, anarchism has its symbols. In this text, I will discuss the most heard of symbols of anarchism and some symbols that are very new but have raised discussions in anarchist movements.

The use of the black flag in anarchist movements spread quickly during the early 1880's. The origin of the symbol is not known, but there are many interesting theories. One is that it has derived from pirates who sailed under black flags. Pirates were free men, hated by the ruling class and with no national belonging, in a sense, fulfilling the anarchist dream. Another theory assumes that the black color of the black flag symbolizes the opposite of colors and signs. This can symbolize two things. First, and most important, the opposition to states, symbolized by their flags. Secondly, it symbolizes the demands of the working-class, freedom and nothing more. The working-class needed no fancy symbols or expensive equipment, they just want freedom.

Divided diagonally between red and black, this symbol is very easy to recognize and also to draw.

The red and black flag was first used during the Spanish Revolution by anarcho-syndicalists, but it has been used by most anarchists believers in modern times. It was based upon the black flag of anarchism and the red flag of the working-class rebellion. In this sense, the red half of the flag symbolizes the anarco-communist ideology "from each according to his or her ability, to each according to his or her need," while the black symbolizes social freedom and the anarchist ideology.

The encircled A has been one of the most successful symbol of any political ideology in the world history. It was created during the twentieth century and is thus a much more modern symbol than the black flag. Although the exact origin is not know, there is evidence that it was used during the Spanish Civil War and later in Belgium. It is usually spray-painted in red and often together with the black flag of anarchism.

It is believed that the "A" symbolizes anarchism while the circle represents an "O," for order. This is according to Proudon's belief that "anarchy is order." The "A" can also mean autogestione, an Italian term for self-determination and self-management, referring to a workers revolution.

Sadly, however, this symbol has also been misused by different violent societies through time and many places where it is spray painted, it is simply for the destruction of spray painting. When not drawn neatly (like it is supposed to be), this symbol will end up looking in many ways like a pentagram. Pentagrams are, although neither they have had this meaning traditionally, associated with Satanism. In the end, the encircled A has in later years become associated with destructive forces in society and is therefore banned from many private- and state institutions.

The Libertatis Æquilibritas is not really an anarchist symbol, but a symbol for market anarchism or anarcho-capitalism as it is also called. Many anarchists do not even accept anarcho-capitalism as a anarchist school.

The name is Latin for "the Equilibrium of Liberty." This new symbol was designed by Per Bylund, a Swedish software engineer and founder of Anarchism.net. Bylund himself says that "[creating a symbol for freedom] is even harder than defining freedom -- one must create a symbol that is easy to understand, flexible enough to carry all the right values (but not the wrong ones), and still be specific and original." The Libertatis Æquilibritas is understood by many to fulfill this.

Combining the encircled A (the well-known symbol for anarchism), the yin & yang symbol (symbolizes balance between good and evil, dark and light and the balance of a market) and a dollar sign, the Libertatis Æquilibritas offers a lot of symbolic value. The use of the dollar sign, however, has been discussed, as many see it as a symbol of capitalism. Bylund, on the other hand, argues that it is a symbol of currency which offers freedom to every man. With currency, every man can produce what he wants, earn his living and work the way he likes.

The black cat, with an arched back looking angry, has become a widely used symbol for anarcho-syndicalists and is today only associated with this kind of anarchism.

The black cat as an anarchist symbol was designed by Ralph Chaplin, a labor activist from the early to mid 1900's. The black cat has traditionally been a symbol of death, misfortune and witchcraft. Using the cat as a symbol for something positive is therefore a radical change. In modern times, however, these traditional beliefs have largely perished and the black cat has been adapted by anarchists and Wicca believers, the later who rarely show the cat with an arched back in a fighting position as the anarchists do.