Why did Communists co-opt May Day as their annual tribute to mass murder?
Why did Communists co-opt May Day as their annual tribute to mass murder?
ChatGPT said:
May Day, or International Workers’ Day (May 1st), was not originally a communist holiday nor was it founded as a tribute to mass murder. Its roots are actually in the labor movement, particularly the struggle for an eight-hour workday. The date was chosen to commemorate the Haymarket affair of 1886 in Chicago, where a peaceful rally in support of striking workers turned violent after a bomb was thrown, leading to deaths and a controversial trial.
Communist and socialist movements around the world later adopted May Day as a symbolic day of solidarity with workers and labor rights. The Soviet Union and other communist states used it to promote their ideological narratives and showcase their power with large military parades, which is why it became strongly associated with communism during the 20th century.
So, to answer your question: May Day was co-opted by communist regimes not as a celebration of mass murder, but as a symbol of worker solidarity and state power. However, over time, particularly during the Cold War, critics viewed the pageantry and propaganda of May Day in the Soviet bloc as emblematic of the repression and violence of those regimes.
Many countries in Europe already celebrated May Day as a Spring Festival with parties, dancing singalongs and outdoor games, thus the Communists exchanged the celebration from one of innocuous frolicking to a serious political movement celebration.
It’s what communists do. They ruin everything they touch!..............
**********************************************************
BRAVE AI:
Communists and May Day
Communists co-opted May Day to celebrate the accomplishments of workers and to promote international solidarity among the working class. The International Socialist Conference in 1889 designated May 1 as a labor holiday to honor the Chicago workers who had fought for an eight-hour workday, thus birthing what many nations now call International Workers’ Day.
This day was intended to commemorate the struggles and gains made by workers and the labor movement.
By celebrating May Day, Communist parties aimed to strengthen the global labor movement and challenge capitalist systems.
***********************************************************
Evil needs something to hide behind. A cause to corrupt. In this case, the plight of the worker.