http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/BombThrowingAnarchists

Mad Stan: BLOW IT ALL UP!

Terry McGinnis: Keep it down, Stan. We're in a library.

Mad Stan: You think this is a joke? Look around, Batman! Society's crumbling! And do you know why?

Terry McGinnis: Too many overdue books?

Mad Stan: Information overload, man! As a society we're drowning in a quagmire of vid-clips, e-mail, and sound bytes! We can't absorb it all! There's only one sane solution: BLOW IT UP! Batman Beyond BLOW IT ALL UP!Keep it down, Stan. We're in a library.You think this is a joke? Look around, Batman! Society's crumbling! And do you know why?Too many overdue books?Information overload, man! As a society we're drowning in a quagmire of vid-clips, e-mail, and sound bytes! We can't absorb it all! There's only one sane solution: BLOW IT UP!

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Anarchism is an umbrella term for a bunch of views that advocate the reduction or elimination (or even simply ignoring) of hierarchic power and its replacement by various forms of voluntary non-hierarchical cooperation. Historically, many anarchists encourage nonviolent means for this goal.

Since the 19th century, after anarchism began to take form as a social movement, news, propaganda, and fiction have vilified anarchists as maniacs who simply want nothing but chaos, destruction, and anarchy for anarchy's sake. Anarchists often fill the role of Terrorists Without a Cause. This also tended to be the stereotypical image of communists for many Westerners until the "Orwellian intellectual infiltrating the government" image gained popularity starting in the 1940s.

The "bomb-throwing" image of the anarchist was locked into the mindset of the public after the 1886 Haymarket Square riot in Chicago, where eight anarchists went on trial for a bomb that was thrown at a rally (they were not actually charged with throwing it, as some weren't even at the rally; instead they were charged with inciting the action, being influential anarchist figures in Chicago). Most people had probably never paid much attention to one of the 19th century's many radical social movements before, but the sensationalized spread of the incident left a negative impression in media for a long time. The assassination of several heads of governments by anarchists during the following twenty years (most notably French President Marie François Sadi Carnot, Spanish Prime Minister Antonio Cánovas, Austrian Empress Elisabeth, Italian King Umberto I, and American President William McKinley) didn't help them either. During this period some anarchists advocated violent acts as "attentats" i.e. a means of drawing attention to their cause to spark a revolution by inspiring others, called "propaganda of the deed". Obviously, this backfired horribly, painting them as entirely depraved terrorists.

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Often depicted with excess facial hair, or wearing a mask.

Traditionally equipped with a Cartoon Bomb, described by one stock image-hosting site as an "old-fashioned anarchist-style round bomb with burning fuse ." Modern depictions favor dynamite sticks and Molotov cocktails.

Subtrope of Strawman Political.

Compare Mad Bomber, Dirty Communists, Ludd Was Right. For the right-wing version, see Right-Wing Militia Fanatic. See also Anarchy Is Chaos for an aversion. Contrast with Revolutionaries Who Don't Do Anything. For actual bomb-throwing as a Weapon of Choice, see Throw Down the Bomblet.

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Examples:

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Anime and Manga

Cowboy Bebop had the Teddy Bomber, a character existing only to be a bounty to be chased and fought over by Spike and Andy. He constantly tries to outline his manifesto but the two egomaniac heroes ignore him in their scrap to prove superiority over the (practically identical) other. We discover that in the end, his bombing was an attempt to call attention to, and level, the vast inequalities in society.

Katsura from Gintama is like this initially, but later decides to resort to more peaceful methods of changing the country. Though with how often he's seen goofing off, it's easy to forget that he's even a member of an anti-foreigner faction to begin with.

Comics

Fan Works

Discussed in Beyond the Borders; Rachel thinks that because she considers herself "an anarchist, kind of", she should know about Molotov Cocktails. Given that she thinks this while desperately trying to remember how to make one, it seems she is not an example.

Season 2 of The New Adventures of Invader Zim introduces Nyx, an Irken Defective who hates what she sees as the corrupt system running the Irken Empire and wants to tear it down, usually by means of blowing stuff up and enabling riots. She's also clearly nuts, being an admitted fangirl of Zim and all the damage he causes.

Weaver And Jinx features Maribel, aka 'Jinx'. Who dislikes the Protectorate and Wards, states that she plans to shut Shadow Stalker's power down during a fight with the local gangs, if the opportunity presents itself, and generally offers the most vicious options to solve the problems her team faces. She still manages to be fairly mild compared to some of the real monsters in the Worm Universe.

Film

Literature

Live Action TV

Music

Punk bands often invoked this trope, posing as Bomb-Throwing Anarchists — sometimes for shock value, and sometimes at face value. The Ur-Example may be the band Sex Pistols, whose famous song "Anarchy in the UK" goes as follows:

I am an anarchist

Don't know what I want but I know how to get it

I wanna destroy the passerby

'Cause I wanna be

Anarchy!"

"I am an AntichristI am an anarchistI wanna destroy the passerby'Cause I wanna beAnarchy!"

Note that we say the Sex Pistols posed as this type of anarchist; singer John Lydon later dismissed anarchy as basically "a thought to entertain, but nothing serious" (paraphrased). Later punk bands, such as the Dead Kennedys, do give voice to actual anarchist politics, relying more on snide humor and political activism than shock value.

Of course, before the Dead Kennedys was Crass, which is likely the ultimate example of an actual Anarchist punk band, considering that the group promoted individualism, DIY culture feminism, animal rights, and undermined society through leaflets, political activism, and spray-painted graffiti to spread their message. Hell, the band actually caused an international scandal trying to get information about (what the band and some conspiracy theorists felt was) a false flag attack out to the public. Not only were Crass a shining example of an actual anarchist band, they openly defied tropes like this one. Take this line from "Big A, Little A", for example: "But no one ever changed the church by pulling down a steeple, and you'll never change the system by bombing number ten

Systems just aren't made of bricks, they're mostly made of people; you may send them into hiding, but they'll be back again!"

trying to get information about (what the band and some conspiracy theorists felt was) a false flag attack out to the public. Not only were Crass a shining example of an actual anarchist band, they openly defied tropes like this one. Take this line from "Big A, Little A", for example: Fugazi invoked this trope with black humor in the song "No Surprise". (hey) Lock eyes shared plan / No c.i.a. / could understand It comes as no surprise / We're destabilized!

Lampshaded by Leslie Fish (a self-proclaimed anarchist) in the song "It's Sister Jenny's Turn to Throw the Bomb".

Podcast

It Could Happen Here: One of the factions during the Second American Civil War are left-wing militias, along with their right-wing counterparts.

Professional Wrestling

Tabletop Games

Space 1889 played fairly straight and intended to be an antagonist though it is also available as a player character career in character generation. The illustration fits the stereotype, complete with a cartoon bomb.

The cover of Misspent Youth by Robert Bohl, features a pair of anarchists, one of whom is brandishing a Molotov cocktail. The protagonist characters are all basically bomb-throwing anarchists.

by Robert Bohl, features a pair of anarchists, one of whom is brandishing a Molotov cocktail. The protagonist characters are all basically bomb-throwing anarchists. The Planescape Dungeons & Dragons setting's Anarch faction has a number of members who believe in "overthrow the status quo now," without worrying about what's going to replace it. On the other hand, their motives could be considered better than say, the Sinker fraction of the Doomguard, who worship entropy and destruction for its own sake, or the Xaositects, for whom "having a plan" isn't really an option. On the other hand, the Free League faction is more or less made up of non-bomb-throwing anarchists, being a loose association of individuals trying to get with their lives without the other factions telling them what to do. They even organize themselves in a non-hierarchical way.

Vampire: The Masquerade averted this in two ways: The Brujah clan, once known as a clan of passionate philosopher-kings, who tended more towards impulsive radicalism in modern nights. While the clan tends more towards the "throw a brick through a Starbucks window" school of anarchy, however, it does have its share of passionate intellectuals who prefer to argue the merits of anarchy rather than enforce it with their fists. The Anarchs, a general faction of vampires who believe the Camarilla are a bunch of outmoded feudal lords with their heads up their butts and the Sabbat are a band of psychopaths. They institute their own systems and fight to establish baronies free from Camarilla control, with political systems varying from baron to baron. It should be notable that by the mid-nineties in which the setting is set, the only Anarch holdings left in the world is the US West Coast, which is being invaded by the Sabbat from Mexico, the Camarilla from the east, and the Kuei-Jin coming in by boat from the west, which showcases just how successful the Anarchs are. However, by the time 5th ed. rolls around and the metaplot moves forward to mid-The New '10s, the Anarchs have come back with a vengeance. A number of disasters, from mass defections to YouTube to the Inquisition kicking back into gear and a number of three-letter agencies starting to get a hint, have caused the Camarilla to wane and the Sabbat to all but vanish. The Anarchs are simply better suited to living on the fringes of society and have filled a lot of that power vacuum.

The Jammers from Feng Shui definitely fit the trope, with a fondness for blowing up Feng Shui sites in order to carry out Battlechimp Potemkin's dream of a world without chi. Even moreso in the Shadowfist card game, where the Jammers are the only faction who can render the game Unwinnable by Insanity.

Paranoia features the secret society "Death Leopard", a coalition of pseudo-anarchist party-animals.

7th Sea has an entire Secret Society of Bomb Throwing Anarchists with its own splatbook. While the Rilisciare's reasons for being anti-authoritarian (nobles in the setting have access to sorcery that is causing the barrier between the physical world and Hell to slowly weaken, and non-powered nobles have a history of betraying the Free Thinkers ) are clearly stated, the society's history includes the point where they extended their enmity to include anyone with power, even mundane political power. Plus, all the good explosives abilities and equipment are in their splatbook (including the "Arson" and "Bomb-making" skills and a coat with hidden explosives in the buttons).

) are clearly stated, the society's history includes the point where they extended their enmity to include anyone with power, even mundane political power. Plus, all the good explosives abilities and equipment are in their splatbook (including the "Arson" and "Bomb-making" skills and a coat with hidden explosives in the buttons). The Warhammer 40,000 spin-off game Gorkamorka featured the Gretchin Revolutionary Committee, who were pretty much just a goblin-based parody of this trope.

Bleak World has the Bridge Burners, who are seen as this by the other Jotun. In reality, they are more of an organized terrorist group who oppose the pilgrimage back to Homestead on the theory that they could end up doing more damage to Earth by inviting the Elves to come here.

Theatre

The play Last Meals has in one of its vignettes a Timothy McVeigh expy with a thing for mint chocolate chip ice cream. He is shown making a speech to the camera and does an Unflinching Walk from a building he has just blown up while eating his ice cream.

The play The Just Assassins by French writer Albert Camus explores the moral issues faced by a group of Russian terrorists plotting to kill the Governor General of Moscow by throwing a bomb at his carriage. This was based on a real assassination, though the perpetrators were not the anarchists but the Socialist Revolutionaries.

This what the victim in Accidental Death of an Anarchist is alleged to have been, and what The Maniac might very well be.

Anarchist Leon Czolgosz, the assassin of President William McKinley, is one of the main characters in Assassins, and there is detailed examination of the cause of his radical beliefs. He comes across as the sympathetic of the assassins, with the most understandable motivation for his actions.

Video Games

Web Comics

The Cooks from Templar Arizona, a gang of people who intentionally turn peaceful demonstrations into riots, mostly with scare tactics, but occasionally with flammables.

Web Video

In Jreg Anarchist Left is a personification of this.

Western Animation