Anarchists have appropriated the Three Arrows of the Iron Front. The Iron Front was a German paramilitary organization in the Weimar Republic made up of liberals, social democrats, and trade unionists. It stood for liberal democracy against totalitarian ideologies on the far-right and the far-left—which included anarchists. It is now being used to represent the desire of the most authoritarian and illiberal movement on the face of the planet.
Today’s anarchism, manifest at the street level by Antifa, represent a totalitarian ideology rooted in the far-left. One sees the Iron Front symbol not only alongside the anarchist symbol, but also accompanied by the communist hammer and sickle. This is typical of woke progressivism. When it is not erasing the accomplishments of those who solved problems through democratic action, progressives are commandeering the rhetoric and symbology of the defenders of democracy and liberty.
The great irony here is that Antifa back in the day opposed the Iron Front. And they still do in spirit. They regard the Iron Front as not only bourgeois, but also fascist. Of course, Antifa regards everything as fascist except itself—despite representing today the single greatest instantiation of street-level fascism in the world. The Iron Front understood the fascistic tendencies intrinsic to anarchism. The three arrows logo represented opposition to Antifa’s affiliated party, the KPD.
Why is anarchism intrinsically fascistic? Because it is at its core an antidemocratic and illiberal ideology that serves the interests of the corporate state. Anarchists, drawn from the alienated youth of the middle class, the lumpenproletariat, and disordered personalities everywhere, are always up for reactionary intrigue. They are therefore useful for the revolution-from-above that marks the New Fascist assault on democratic-republicanism and the enlightenment.
If the Iron Front were being properly represented today, those bearing this symbol would thwart Antifa action wherever it cropped up. They would never leave such matters to the Proud Boys. Where were those of the true spirit of the Iron Front when Riley Gaines was being assaulted and held hostage for more than three hours? Where were they when the mob attacked Kellie Jay Keen and other women as the “Let Women Speak” rally in Auckland, New Zealand? Where are the defenders of republicanism and liberal democracy?
freedom and reason 