International Worker’s Day, popularly called ‘May Day’ on May 1st
Brig. K.G. Behl (Retd.)
President, All India Consumers Council, Uttarakand
There are a very few persons in the World who are born with a silver spoon in mouth and majority of the rest work hard to make their fortune and these are the people who are real workers . But some of them feel shy to call themselves workers and wish to be called by some adjective which may put them above others without realizing that workers include every one who works to earn his/her livelihood. This brings some apprehension in defining a worker, though worker always remain a worker in whatever position one may reach and will develop love for every worker irrespective of whatever position one be.
Around the world, on May 1st, millions of men, women, and children flood the streets of towns and cities, waving flags and joyously shouting slogans, laughing, marching, cheering – all over the globe. Masses of people join or watch on that day keeping aside, racial, religious, linguistic and even National feelings and boundaries to celebrate the greatest of supranational secular holidays – International Workers Day.
Working Class means that one works for one’s own living. That’s all. To pay bills one has to have a job, as opposed to those who could, if they chose to, live on their investments, inheritance, or income from property. If you could do that, if your money – or Capital – could provide you with a reasonable living, you would be a Capitalist. If, however, you must work – if you are someone else’s employee in any way to pay your bills, you are a Worker. If you own a business which you must work at to cover your basic living expenses, you are a Worker/Owner. A Police Officer who beats back strikers or does his other duties as an employee of the State to earn his living is a worker, even though doing an unpleasant job. For which he is paid. Independent Contractor is also a Worker. Again an Artist too is a Worker. Doctor, Lawyer, butcher, baker, panty maker are all Workers. The vast majority of American too fall in this category of Workers. You are a Worker if you must work so that someone else will pay you, whereby you can afford the necessities of life.
This global celebration of Working Class is celebrated with pride everywhere – except in the United States. It is, of course, ironic, since May Day was created as a celebration of the struggle of American Workers. International Workers’ Day is the commemoration of the Haymarket Massacre in Chicago in 1886, when Chicago police fired on and killed workers during a general strike for the Eight Hour Day, the resulting riot, and to memorialize the execution of four Anarchists sentenced to death for not successfully discouraging someone, they did not know, from throwing a bomb. That’s right – all benefit from an eight hour day but May Day commemorates the people who died protesting for it.
But the real question is: Why is this Day so ignored in the land that inspired it ? In fact the government went so far, in 1958, as to declare May 1st “National Loyalty Day,” which makes anyone participating in a Workers Day rally officially disloyally or Un American. Yes, Republicans and Democrats – the very people who say they celebrate the Hard Working Americans – went that far to divorce Hard Working Americans from the actual international holiday which celebrates them.
Working Class means you work for your living. That’s all. To pay your bills you have a job, as opposed to those who could, if they chose to, live on their investments, inheritance, or income property. If you could do that, if your money – or Capital – could provide you with a reasonable living, you would be a Capitalist. That’s what the word means. A lot of people think Capitalist means work hard, but actually it means the opposite – it specifically means they don’t have to work at all. Capitalist mean that somewhere, in some office, or some coal mine, in some coffee shop, or factory someone else is working hard so that the Capitalist’s investment will pay dividends. That’s how they make money – from their Capital investment and someone else’s work. Oh, some Capitalists work very hard – but they don’t have to in order to keep a roof over their heads and food on the table. They do it to accumulate even more money, even more Capital.
The concept of working class differs in countries with capitalistic and socialistic approach. As a matter of fact lines have been drawn on capitalism and communalism. In America capitalist has been defined differently and they feel that there is no separate working class. According to them admission of belonging to the Working Class is tantamount to admitting failure, that Workers are only workers because they are not willing to try harder to succeed, and that anyone who confesses to being a proud member of the Working Class is self-evidentially too stupid to get rich in the land of easy money, which is available in plenty.
In socialist and communist countries worker is given a pride of place and it is considered that workers are the base of every industry but they do not work to accumulate money or create wealth. They work hard and earn only that much of money which is sufficient to meet their requirements. All their other requirements are met by the Govt. for which they are not indebted to them but take it as a right for further development.
In capitalist countries you’ll notice that very few politicians of either party even talk about the Working Class anymore. What they do talk about is The Middle Class – a term that doesn’t even have an agreed upon definition. Middle Class is just a Worker with a bigger debt, who has been brainwashed into thinking belonging to the Working Class is somehow a bad thing. And because they control the media, and the political machinery, this message of the Capitalists – that being a worker is something to be ashamed of, that the Boss is their best friend, and the Union is the enemy, that it is better and somehow nobler to dream of individual riches than identify with your fellow Workers and strive to improve the lot of your entire class. Because of their power this is the message we see in every paper, on every station, emblazoned on every billboard and across the web.
Here they feel that one is just a few paychecks from ruin, and power and protection one has comes not from the kindness of your boss, but not from hard earned labour victories, actual needs with workers.
In the countries built by the working class. Proud Workers built the roads, cars. bridges, planes – and their fellows are proud of them. Now, I’m not saying Capitalists have no place in a vibrant economy, but we have allowed them to convince us that we would be nothing without them, that profit and riches are the noblest objects of pursuit, that Worker equals Stupid, and that a united Working Class is the greatest threat to Freedom. Until it is felt that once again we are proud and can stand up and say we are members of the Working Class. We will always be prey to the machinations of those who would use us, swayed by the propaganda that separates us, divided by those who fear us organized, and scattered by those who know that the Workers, united, cannot be defeated.
So, Workers, celebrate this day, and admit that most frightening of things – that you are in the Working Class. Give yourself permission to rejoice in yourself and your fellow Workers. Find joy in unity, and reject the lie that you and your fellows organized is somehow your worst nightmare. Only the enemies of the Workers would despise a united Working Class, just as enemies of Democracy despise free and fair elections.
So, this May Day, let us have a revolutionary spirit and say. that I am a Worker, and proud of it. Cast off the brainwashing that denies workers their true position in the society. This May Day take pride in the fact that you live by your own skill, talent, brains, and/or brawn. Be glad you don’t benefit from underpaying your workers, off shoring a factory, or from the sweat of someone else’s brow. Be glad you are not a mere Capitalist. This May Day, and every May Day after, be proud you are a Worker.
