MAY DAY—wORKERS’ dAY. fight for communism

Happy May Day to the international working class! May Day is the working class’s international holiday celebrated by tens of millions of workers worldwide. It’s a day when workers around the globe march for their common demands, signifying international working-class solidarity. It was born out of — and honors — the Chicago workers’ historic struggle for the eight-hour day on May 1, 1886. Many of those labor leaders not only fought for better working conditions, but also to end the capitalist system. The Progressive Labor Party (PLP) marches on May Day to celebrate workers everywhere who fought back and continue to fight back against the bosses’ exploitation.
We also celebrate May Day to not only remember that we are the products of a long history of class struggle, but to keep the red flag flying as we carry on that struggle for a better world - a communist world. There is plenty of reason to celebrate this May Day. Under the clouds of increasing war and fascism, our international revolutionary communist party continues grow and fight back against the bosses. This year’s theme - “One World, One Class, One Party” reaffirms our commitment to smash all borders and fight for a communist world.
Stalingrad shows what’s possible
This year marks the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Stalingrad—the turning point of World War II (see Challenge 2/8). Forced to face the Nazi army alone, the Soviet Union’s chances of winning looked slim to many around the world. However, the communist leadership in the Soviet Union and the working class around the world didn’t have a choice. Millions bravely fought to defeat the Nazis in Stalingrad and eventually win the war. It showed us that the political ideas of communism, when realized by millions, can help defeat any capitalist army.
There certainly are differences between now and 1945. For example, nowhere in the world does the working class hold state power. Communist consciousness is relatively low compared to that period. And while there were errors made by the old communist movement that caused the full restoration of capitalism around the world, examples like Stalingrad show us that even when the odds may seem to be against us, the working class - under communist leadership - can win. We march on May Day for the fighters of Stalingrad and other battles of World War II who heroically gave their lives to smash fascism.
Fascism and war
For many workers the idea of an egalitarian society seems like a far off vision. In the world today over 40 million people were forced to leave their home due to war. While the major powers like the United States, China, and Russia are not fighting each other directly, the world is at war. From Syria to Somalia, North Korea to Venezuela, the imperialist powers are putting their pieces in place in anticipation for another world war and the working class has been paying the price.
This rivalry continues to move the world today, affecting all aspects of life. The U.S. capitalist class fights with each other over individual interests while millions of workers continue to drink unsafe water, undocumented workers and students live in fear of deportation, and police murder continues to take the lives of Black, Latin, and all workers. One thing they do agree on, however, is that they must continue to push racism to divide and conquer the working class.
As the bosses march towards war, fascism is the order of the day. The ruling classes of China and Russia shed the cloak of liberal “democracy” by jailing, torturing, or killing capitalists that put their own interest before those of their class. In Saudi Arabia, we are also seeing this out in the open under the new Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Many of our comrades, from Pakistan to El Salvador, have been living under these conditions for decades. However, this is becoming more obvious amongst the major capitalist countries. We march on May Day for the millions of workers and students who continue to live under war and fascism, knowing one day that millions will join us in raising the red flag in the Middle East, Africa, and all over the world.
Liberal politicians lead the way to fascism
The U.S. imperialist rulers are still attempting to solve their problems without open murder or torture. They are using the Robert Mueller investigation and elections to discipline Trump and the domestic capitalists behind him. Whether it is gun violence or sexism, the liberal rulers are trying to position themselves as the champions of the working class.
It is no different for workers in countries like Mexico or France. In Mexico, liberal politicians try to trick the working class by creating alliances with China rather than the U.S. In France, politicians like Emmanuel Macron win workers by not being as openly racist as his opponents. This is one reason why PLP says that liberals are the main danger (see editorial, page 2). Trump may win white workers to the gutter racism portrayed by the Nazis, but liberals attempt to win a larger, more multi racial portion of the working class to war and fascism by coming off as anti-racist or anti-sexist. Their policies, however, will inevitably leads to the deaths of millions around the world. We march on May Day to expose these liberal politicians and win workers to fight for communism.
Fight Back
Our Party started as a small group of revolutionaries who came out of the Communist Party USA over 50 years ago. Since then, our Party has not only grown in size, but our line has changed to reflect the lessons learned from the old communist movement. One of the biggest advances we have made as a party is our fight against nationalism. While it drew a lot of criticism when we first fought for this line (and still does today), history has proven it correct.
Today PLP spans five continents and 27 countries. Members and friends from all over the world are fighting and struggling over the same line. It is this communist leadership that allows PLP to continue to give communist leadership to workers around the world even in these tough times. Under the right conditions, the ability of the working class to fight back, even if they seem like small steps, can turn into giant leaps towards communist revolution. Here are some examples of class struggle happening around the world.
In the United States workers and students are fighting back against police murders. The recent murder of Stephon Clark by Sacramento police set off a new wave of protests.
Workers in Haiti led by mainly women workers, are fighting back against low wages and terrible working conditions.
Construction workers in Colombia have gone on strike and shut down production over back pay.
Healthcare workers in Mexico have shut down hospitals as the bosses continue to layoff workers and lower wages in healthcare.
Students in Tanzania continue to fight back against deadly housing in their dormitories on campus.
Workers and students in Israel have organized multi-racial fight back against the racist deportation of Black workers in Israel.
In China, Marxist study groups are organized to win workers and students to expose the current capitalist government and win workers to fighting for a communist world
In Pakistan, workers continue to organize strikes and other forms of class struggle even if that means being imprisoned under their “anti terrorism” laws.
Members of the Progressive Labor Party are involved in some of these struggles and attempt to give communist leadership while also learning from the workers and students in these struggles. History has shown us that the past two world wars have lead to communist revolutions (Soviet Union and China). This happened because communists in these areas organized for communism, even under the most oppressive conditions.
As the bosses prepare for World War III, we must also do our best to win workers and students to see the need to turn these struggles into communist schools. We march on May Day to highlight these struggles spread our communist message “One World, One Class, One Party.”