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MAY DAY BACKGROUND AND SLOGANS

Social

In 1889 in Paris the Congress of the Second International decided: the time came the proletariat to be united and fight for its rights, first of all for 8-hour working day. The Congress made a decision to set a special day, when the class of workers all over the world will present authorities its demands.

Before that, in 1886, workers’ protest broke out in one of U.S. cities of Chicago. There were clashes between protesters and police during demonstrations. As a result many have been arrested and sentenced to long terms in prison and leaders have been sentenced to death.

After the Parisian Congress, for the first time May 1 was celebrated in several countries as a holiday in honor of workers. In the beginning of the XX century, revolutionary movement transferred to Russia.

In 1902, on the eve of May Day the following poster were disseminated in Russia:

May Day is the All Workers Holiday;

May Day is the Day of Strike;

On May Day We are Preparing for New Battle;

On May Day We Will Prepare for 8-hour Working Day – 8 Hours for Work, 8 Hours for Sleep and 8 hours are Free.

One more slogan has been added on Lenin’s demand: ”Monarchy off!” And the fight grew political.

In soviet times May Day was being celebrated with great splendor – parades were being organized in every town. Communist Party local leaders delivered speeches to their fellow-residents. On the eve of the holiday the Central Committee of the Soviet Union Communist Party addressed people with dozens of slogans containing directives for different social classes. First of all, the slogans were placed in newspapers, and then pronounced in the Lenin Square during parade.