Editorial

The Continuing Significance of May Day

In commemoration of the 1886 Chicago Haymarket martyrs, who were hanged for their participation in the struggle for the eight-hour working day, the Second Socialist International declared May First to be a day of international working class solidarity and struggle. The first May Day events were organized on May 1, 1890, with rallies throughout Europe and North America.

From the beginning, May Day became the focal point of the conflict between those members and leaders of the working class who advocated the revolutionary overthrow of capitalism and its replacement with socialism, and those who advocated the reform and strengthening of the capitalist system. Despite a century of working class victories and defeats, this fundamental clash between revolution and reformism remains as sharp as ever and May Day continues to be a focal point in this historic debate.

Those who advocated the reform and strengthening of the capitalist system quickly forged an alliance with the capitalists and their states to attack the revolutionary workers and their leaders. In the capitalist countries they assisted their "own" capitalists to suppress the struggles of the working class at home and to pursue their imperial ambitions abroad. They also participated in the subversive activities of the capitalist powers against the Soviet Union and those countries liberated from the yoke of capitalism following the Second World War.

Within those formerly socialist countries there were also opportunist elements who worked tirelessly to undermine socialism, bureaucratize their societies and restore the control of the capitalist class. Together with various agencies of imperialism, these backward forces succeeded in gradually overthrowing socialism in the Soviet Union and the countries of Eastern Europe, culminating in the dramatic events of 1989.

This victory of the capitalists and their reformist supporters destroyed a century of gains by the working class and people, thereby creating the conditions for the current round of capitalist globalization, including the unbridled violence of U.S. imperialism and its allies. In so doing, it has condemned hundreds of millions of the world's people to lives of poverty, disease and violence.

During the past few years, a broad people's movement in opposition to capitalism, imperialism and war has emerged and has gradually gained in strength and experience. As this movement has advanced, it has also drawn the attention of the agencies of capitalism, as well as those who advocate the strengthening of capitalism through various reforms. These forces are working to deprive the movement of its revolutionary anti-capitalist and anti-imperialist character and to divert it into activities harmless to the capitalist system.

Today, despite the overwhelming economic and military power of the United States, American foreign policy in the Middle East is in disarray. The U.S. and its ally, Israel, are politically more isolated that ever before. Just last week, the people of Venezuela have succeeded in thwarting a U.S. coup attempt. Argentina is experiencing economic and political crises. In other words, the prospects for the American New World Order are not as rosy as they were a mere decade ago.

May Day is a day for celebrating international working class solidarity. It is also a day for celebrating past victories and learning from past defeats. But May Day is also much more than that; it is the declaration of a future for humankind devoid of capitalist exploitation and oppression, of imperialist war and conquest. It is a declaration that not only is a better world possible, but that we intend to build such a world.

It is important to learn from the past in order to identify our strengths and weaknesses, as well as who are our friends and who are our enemies. However, dwelling only on the past or focusing exclusively on the problems of today will not give rise to a new world. The key questions are: Where is our movement headed? What problems must it solve to open a path for advance? What shape must it take in order to be effective in achieving its aims?

These and other important questions are being discussed within the movement in various forums and it is of vital importance that this discussion continue to deepen and broaden. In Winnipeg, the United May Day Committee has invited several activists representing a broad spectrum of the movement to present their visions of the movement at the annual United May Day Banquet. Modern Communism encourages everyone to participate in this discussion and in the various other events being organized to mark May Day.