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Communist symbolism includes a variety of usage of symbols associated with the communist movement.

1 Hammer and sickle
2 Variations of the hammer and sickle
3 Regional variations of usage
4 Red flag

[edit] Hammer and sickle

Further information: Hammer and sickle

The by far most well-known communist symbol is the hammer and sickle. Since 1917 it was the symbol of Soviet Russia/Soviet Union. It features a sickle superimposed on a hammer. The two tools are symbols of the industrial proletariat and the peasantry respectively; placing them together symbolises the unity between agricultural and industrial workers. It is best known from having been incorporated into the red flag of the Soviet Union, along with the Red Star.

In 1924 the Soviet flag with the hammer and sickle was formally adopted, and in the same year the symbolism was recognized as the Soviet constitution. The symbol, albeit in a different shape, was also featured in the Soviet coat of arms.

During the ComIntern period the symbol was used by communist parties around the world, many of whom continues to use the symbol as their own. However, after the dissolution of ComIntern a wide range of variations of the symbol have emerged.

Partial list of parties using the hammer and sickle as their symbol:

Notably, several communist parties today do not use the hammer and sickle in their logotypes, such as the Communist Party of Cuba, Communist Party of Austria, Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia, French Communist Party, German Communist Party

[edit] Variations of the hammer and sickle

There are many variation of the hammer and sickle in terms of usage were one or both features of the symbol are substituted by another symbolism with similar meaning. For example, in countries were sickles were not used by peasants it has been substituted by a machete. Commonly the hammer has been substituted by a cog-wheel (symbolizing industrial production or the industrial proletariat) and the sickle has been substituted with ears of wheat (symbolizing agricultural production or the peasantry). The national flag of Angola, displays a cog-wheel and a machete.

In some cases a third feature has been added to the symbol, like in the case of the flag of the Workers Party of Korea (which except for a hammer and a hoe, which substitutes the sickle, includes a traditional Korean paintbrush used for writing, symbolizing the 'intellectual worker'), the national flag of the German Democratic Republic (which expact for a hammer, ears of wheat includes a compass, symblozing the intellectuals) or the Communist Party of Germany/Marxist-Leninists (whose symbol included a hammer, sickle and a rifle).

Angola

Workers Party of Korea

German Democratic Republic

Communist Party of Germany/Marxist-Leninists

There are also cases were one of the two features have been removed like in the case of the Socialist Party in Sweden, which only used the hammer, and the All Nepal Peasants Association, whose banner is red with a white sickle.

In some cases the sickle has been substitited for another symbol representing the industrial proletariat, like in the case of the symbol of the Communist Party of Turkey.

Socialist Party, Sweden

Communist Party of Turkey

A range of national variations have also emerged, often including usage of national colours with the symbol. The Unified Socialist Party of Catalonia used a symbol which combined the hammer and sickle with the four stripe symbolism of the Catalan national flag, senyera.

Unified Socialist Party of Catalonia

[edit] Regional variations of usage

The extent of the usage of the symbol varies greatly from region to region, depending on political context. In some countries communists try to avoid using the symbol, as it is considered to be 'tainted' by associations to foreign states. In others, the usage of the symbol have stretched outside of the communist movement. Notably in Italy, it was used by the Italian Socialist Party for a long period of time.

In South Asia, a red flag with a white hammer and sickle is used by virtually communist parties in India, Nepal and Bangladesh. There are only a handfull of variations, such as the Peasants and Workers Party of India (which also has three small stars), Revolutionary Socialist Party (which has a red hammer and sickle on a white circle) and the People's Front Nepal (which has a small torch juxtaposed to a hammer and stickle in the upper left corner of the flag). Pro-communist trade unions commonly use identitical flags as the parties, but with their initials at the hoist of the flag. The All India Forward Bloc, a left-nationalist party which does not originate from the communist movement, uses a red flag with a hammer and sickle and a leaping tiger. Its trade union wing, TUCC, used a similar flag but with its initials at the hoist.