Critical writing: Research on the colour red and its use within politics

Communism - a theory or system of social organisation in which all property is owned by the community and each person contributes and receives according to their ability and needs.

Socialism - a political and economic theory of social organisation which advocates that the means of production, distribution, and exchange shoul be owned or regulated by the community as a whole.

Political colours are used to represent a political party, either officially or unofficially. Parties in different countries with similar ideologies sometimes use similar colours. The colour red within politics symbolises left-wing ideologies and has been used on things such as the red flag, Red army and Red Sacre. The colour red is associated with the conservative Republican Party in the United States, but country to country it is generally associated in a similar way. 

In the accounting world, red ink is used indicate a deficit (that is, spending exceeds income) and Politicians often attack deficit spending as; being in the red'. 

Red is traditionally associated with socialism and communism. The oldest symbol of socialism is the Red Flag, dating back to the French Revolution in the 18th century and the revolutions of 1848. The colour red has also historically been known to represent the blood of the workers who died in the struggle against capitalism. The association between the colour red and communism is particularly strong. Communists used the colour red much more often and more extensively than other ideologies use their respective traditional colours. 

The use of colour is consistently included in all aspects of the parties campaigning and can be seen even through wearing rosettes, flowers and coloured ties. 

- blood of the workers
- flag
- representing the left-wing parties
- communism