Labor Day History
In the US, it’s Labor Day. The first Monday in September was chosen for this holiday to distance a holiday for workers from May Day, which is globally associated with socialism, Marxism, and Communism. But maybe this is an opportunity for a comparative lesson. At the beginning of the year, it's an opportunity to introduce comparative methodology and to practice identifying and describing differences and similarities.Here are some starting points:
The U.S. Department of Labor on the history of Labor Day in the the U.S.
“May Day - The Labor Day” from an anarchist site in Norway
Socialist Review on "May Day, Fetitval for the Workers"
UK's Trades Union Council on "Workers' Memorial Day"
A little history from Liberation & Marxism, "May Day, The Workers' Day, born in the struggle for the eight-hour day"
Pravda on "International Workers' Day"
The People's Daily on Chinese Workers' Day
and the Chinese government's web site notes, "Chinese Open International Labor Day Holiday with Joy"
A Nigerian online site asked, "How Did You Celebrate Worker's Day? (1st May, 2005)"
and the Nigeria Labour Congress reflects on the fact that people don't reflect on the meaining of May Day, "May Day! May Day !! May Day !!!"
For Mexico, here is a bit of history, "Historia del Primero de Mayo"
and if you don't read Spanish, there's the clumsy, automatic Google translation "History of First of Mayo"
From Iran Focus "Photo report: Protests in Iran capital on Workers’ Day
The Inter Press Service News Agency reported, "MAY DAY/IRAN: Workers Protest Ban on Demonstrations"
The New York Sun reported last May, "Laborers at a May Day Rally in Iran Turn the Tables Against Mullahs"
posted by Ken Wedding @ 9:01 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home