may day banners
So that was May Day was it? International Workers Day, May 1st, the day that commemorates the historic struggle of working people throughout the world (ironically, except, of course, in the USA where the concept of MayDay, as a Workers Day was invented in 1886, from an original idea by the Australians, of course -who would have thought it! So its not a commie/russkie plot after all!) I must say that here in Sunny Plymouth I never noticed the difference. It seems, according to the press that rallies have been held in Havana, Moscow, Zimbabwe, China, Bangladesh, South Africa, Australia, all around the world it seems, so why can’t I find any reports about a rally in London? Was there a rally or were people too busy shopping?
There was, it seems, a May Day event on Plymouth Hoe, so I wandered up there on Monday to have a look, perhaps browse through the stalls, perhaps to buy a ‘Socialist Worker’ newspaper from some scruffy git who looks like they never did an hours work in their life. All there was up there was a stage where local bands were pumping out loud and distorted rock, a beer tent, a small table with leaflets about vivisection, some environmentalists, a table full of republicans and about 50 or so assorted skateboarders, aging hippy/alternative types (probably the sk8tbrds parents), various Goths or those types that have morphed into Avril Lavene type gothboarders, not a trade unionist in sight. Not one banner or slogan, no red flags, no signs of unity or comradeship.
There used to be a rally or march in most towns a while ago but now it seems that people use the May Day holiday as an extending shopping day, so rather than commemorating the historic struggle of the workers, they prefer the heroic struggle of walking around dfs looking at cut price sofas or B&Q looking at stuff for that garden project they saw on TV or just meandering around town looking to buy something. O pernicious Capitalism, O how successful was Margaret Thatcher when she claimed ‘There is no such thing as society, only individuals and families’. O how we have turned our backs on such things as solidarity and comradeship.
People have forgotten, or have never been told, about the successful struggles of the Trades Unions and the Labour movement. They seem to think that we have always had a health service, and an educational system, and decent working hours and more than 6 pence a day for the sum of ones labours and decent working conditions, and decent living standards. These things had to be fought for by the working classes of this country and of course the World. Read Robert Tressells 'The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists' for a very readable account of how capitalism operates in the workplace.
May Day should be the day to celebrate the successes of labour, a day to come together with ones fellow workers, to show the World, that we might not be rich but we are proud of what we do and who we are. But no, we shop, we stay at home and watch bad TV, we remain secluded, individualised and alienated from our fellow man/woman. No wonder most of us are on Prozac and suicide rates are rising, Karl Marx is probably spinning in his grave.
There was, it seems, a May Day event on Plymouth Hoe, so I wandered up there on Monday to have a look, perhaps browse through the stalls, perhaps to buy a ‘Socialist Worker’ newspaper from some scruffy git who looks like they never did an hours work in their life. All there was up there was a stage where local bands were pumping out loud and distorted rock, a beer tent, a small table with leaflets about vivisection, some environmentalists, a table full of republicans and about 50 or so assorted skateboarders, aging hippy/alternative types (probably the sk8tbrds parents), various Goths or those types that have morphed into Avril Lavene type gothboarders, not a trade unionist in sight. Not one banner or slogan, no red flags, no signs of unity or comradeship.
There used to be a rally or march in most towns a while ago but now it seems that people use the May Day holiday as an extending shopping day, so rather than commemorating the historic struggle of the workers, they prefer the heroic struggle of walking around dfs looking at cut price sofas or B&Q looking at stuff for that garden project they saw on TV or just meandering around town looking to buy something. O pernicious Capitalism, O how successful was Margaret Thatcher when she claimed ‘There is no such thing as society, only individuals and families’. O how we have turned our backs on such things as solidarity and comradeship.
People have forgotten, or have never been told, about the successful struggles of the Trades Unions and the Labour movement. They seem to think that we have always had a health service, and an educational system, and decent working hours and more than 6 pence a day for the sum of ones labours and decent working conditions, and decent living standards. These things had to be fought for by the working classes of this country and of course the World. Read Robert Tressells 'The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists' for a very readable account of how capitalism operates in the workplace.
May Day should be the day to celebrate the successes of labour, a day to come together with ones fellow workers, to show the World, that we might not be rich but we are proud of what we do and who we are. But no, we shop, we stay at home and watch bad TV, we remain secluded, individualised and alienated from our fellow man/woman. No wonder most of us are on Prozac and suicide rates are rising, Karl Marx is probably spinning in his grave.
Workers of the world, awaken!
Rise in all your splendid might
Take the wealth that you are making,
It belongs to you by right.
No one will for bread be crying
We'll have freedom, love and health,
When the grand red flag is flying
In the Workers' Commonwealth.
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