Spring and Labor Holiday (May Day)

1 May 1992

In July of 1889 Paris congress of the 2nd International in memory of the protest action organized on May 1, 1886 by Chicago workers demanding eight hours working day (the strike and the demonstration grew into bloody skirmish with police) decided to establish the International Workers’ Day.

The congress resolution said: ‘Hereby we establish the great international manifestation for the date fixed once and for all in order that the workers all over the world demanded the reduction of the working day to 8 hours and observation of other decrees of the International congress in Paris… The workers of different nations should organize the manifestation in accordance with the situation in their country…’

In the Russian Empire the International Workers’ Day was celebrated for the first time in 1890 in Warsaw with a strike of 10 000 workers.

In 1891 the group of socialists and democrats headed by M. I. Brusnev organized in Petersburg the first May-Day workers’ rally – illegal revolutionary workers’ meeting usually held in the countryside. About 200 people who attended the meeting came to a conclusion that it was necessary to unite for the mutual struggle. From 1897 the May-Day workers’ rallies became of political character and were accompanied with mass demonstration.

In 1901 on the initiative of ‘Iskra’ newspaper was issued the May Day proclamation of RSDRP which formulated political goals of proletariat. During the demonstrations in Gomel, Tiflis and Kharkov for the first time were advanced the slogans ‘Down with monarchy!’ and ‘Long live the republic!’. In Petersburg the workers’ demonstration for the first time clashed with troops. In 1905 the May Day was celebrated already in 177 cities and industrial settlements of Russia.

In 1912 in May Day demonstrations and strikes participated 400 000 workers; in 1913 their number increased to 420 000; in 1914 – to 500 000. The workers demanded to establish eight hours working day, confiscate landowners’ property, overthrow the monarch. In the years to come the number of May Day manifestations participants increased annually. Besides workers there were peasants, soldiers and seamen.

After the victory of February revolution of 1917 the May Day was celebrated freely for the first time with the following slogans: ‘All power to Soviets!’ and ‘Down with imperialistic war!’.

After the October revolution the May Day became the official holiday. On this day were held workers demonstrations and military parades. The words ‘Peace. Labor. May’ became the holiday motto.

The last officially held May Day demonstration took place on May 1, 1990.

In 1992 the International Workers’ Day was renamed into the Spring and Labor Holiday.

 

Lit.: Первое мая // Большая советская энциклопедия. М., Т. 19. 1975.