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Hammer and sickle

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The hammer and sickle is a globally recognized symbol of communism and socialism. It is designed to represent the unity between two specific social classes: the industrial proletariat and the peasantry. The hammer serves as a traditional icon for industrial workers, specifically those in the proletariat of Russia. The sickle represents the peasantry, or the people who work in agriculture. By combining these two tools, the emblem illustrates a political alliance between factory workers and farmers.

Hammer and sickle red on transparent
Hammer and sickle red on transparent

The symbol's design has a specific history of evolution. In 1918, Yevgeny Ivanovich Kamzolkin designed the emblem for May Day celebrations in Moscow's Zamoskvorechye District. His original design actually included a sword alongside the tools. However, the leader Vladimir Lenin objected to this addition. He felt the sword carried militaristic connotations that were not desired. Consequently, the sword was removed. The emblem was officially adopted by the 2nd session of the Central Executive Committee (CIK) on July 6, 1923.

Throughout the history of the Soviet Union (USSR), the symbol appeared in many official capacities. It was featured prominently on the State Emblem of the Soviet Union and the various coats of arms for its Republics. It also appeared on the red star badge found on the uniform caps of the Red Army.

Hammer and Sickle and Star
Hammer and Sickle and Star

The symbol even appeared on military decorations, such as the insignia for the Order of the Patriotic War.

Beyond government use, the name "Serp i Molot," which means sickle and hammer, was used for the Moscow Metallurgical Plant and a railway stop.

Many different nations and movements have used variations of this imagery to represent similar ideas. For example, the flag of Angola features a cog and a machete topped by a socialist star.

Flag of Angola
Flag of Angola

The flag of Mozambique uses a hoe and an AKM.

Flag of Mozambique
Flag of Mozambique

Other groups have used different tools to represent their specific classes. The Far Eastern Republic of Russia used an anchor crossed with a spade or pickaxe to symbolize fishermen and miners. The Workers' Party of Korea uses a brush, sickle, and hammer. The Communist Party of Britain uses a hammer and a dove to connect their movement to peace.

In the modern era, the symbol remains in active use by several ruling political parties. The Chinese Communist Party, the Communist Party of Vietnam, and the Lao People's Revolutionary Party all utilize the hammer and sickle. In Laos and Vietnam, these party flags are often flown alongside national flags. The symbol also appears in post-Soviet states like Russia and Belarus. For instance, the Vladimir Oblast and the Bryansk Oblast include the symbol on their flags. The de facto government of Transnistria also uses an emblem based on the former Moldavian SSR.

Flag of Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic
Flag of Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic

However, the legal status of the symbol is highly controversial in many parts of the world. Several countries in the former Eastern Bloc have passed laws defining the hammer and sickle as symbols of a "totalitarian and criminal ideology." In these nations, displaying the symbol can be a criminal offense. Georgia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, and Ukraine have all implemented bans on communist symbols. In Ukraine, the legislature specifically equates these symbols to the Nazi swastika. In Indonesia, the symbol is also banned following the 1965–1966 period.

Legal challenges have shaped how these bans are applied. In 2013, the Constitutional Court of Hungary annulled a ban on communist symbols. The court ruled the ban was too broad and violated the right to freedom of expression. Similarly, the Constitutional Court of Moldova ruled that the symbols used by the Moldovan Communist Party were legal. While the European Commission declined to create EU-wide laws against communist crimes, individual member states continue to decide their own rules regarding these historical symbols.

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🖼️ Images & Media (6)
File:Hammer and sickle red on transparent.svg
Hammer and sickle red on transparent.svg
File:Hammer and Sickle and Star.svg
Hammer and Sickle and Star.svg
File:Order of the Patriotic War (Ist class).svg
Order of the Patriotic War (Ist class).svg
File:Flag of Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic.svg
Flag of Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic.svg
File:Flag of Angola.svg
Flag of Angola.svg
File:Flag of Mozambique.svg
Flag of Mozambique.svg
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