The wikipedia entry on the Hammer and Sickle, in addition to being pretty mum regarding my question, explains that the symbol came out of the Russian Revolution. In the 20th century, the Hammer and Sickle seemed to be the definitive symbol of not just Soviet and/or Stalinist-style leftism, but for Communist and Leftist movements worldwide.
Communism was not invented by the Soviets, though. And while ideologies would appear that fit the modern definition of "leftist" even before Karl Marx, I have been able to find little information in regards to what common imagery these movements might have used.
From what I have been able to scrounge up so far, industrial machinery, agricultural tools, and clenched fists seem to be popular. Can anyone shed some light on what themes would appear in leftist imagery from before 1917? Thank you!
I answered a question on why Red is associated with far-left politics here red was associated with 'liberty' in both the US and French revolutions, although I'm not clear on when it also became associated with the specifically leftist ideas of social and economic equality.
//The symbolism of the Red Flag and the colour red generally in European left-wing politics is thought to originate from its use in Roman slave-revolts. There was a tradition for a Roman slave being freed to wear a red cap during the manumission ceremony and for this reason slave revolts used red as a symbol of liberty. That entered in to European iconography.
The blood of martyrs symbolism was a latter addition, a post rationalisation.//
I can't answer your question, but I want to correct you and wikipedia, because the hammer and sickle's origins go back further. See this peso coin from Chile (stamped back in 1896): https://i.imgur.com/SeVhyYn.jpg
The screen shot above and text below are from a book "Red Star Over Russia" by David King.
the design of one of the world's greatest symbols was neither original nor Russia. The enlargement (centre) of a humble one peso coin from Chile, showing a hammer and sickle at its base, surrounded by laurel leaves, predates the October Revolution by twenty one years.
You might find it interesting to look into the style of Trade Union banners from 19th Century Britain - I don't know if US unions had similar imagery, but there's a very distinctive "Trade Union Banner" style, and you even still see it on marches today, with modern banners done in the old style. Things like this: http://blog.museumoflondon.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Union-Banner.jpg
