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by Upali S. Jayasekera

Today is May Day - an event to further working class unity and solidarity and demonstrate the resolve of the workpeople to fight exploitation, with a view to put an end to it.

The choice of the day has been derived from the historic struggle launched by the American workers on 1st May 1886 for an eight hour work day, when a work day was 12 to 15 hours, which struggle eventually turned out to be the launching pad for the emancipation of the workpeople from exploitation and suppression of workers' rights. And 116 years after, when May Day is celebrated today the scenario is that the workers are disunited and are on the verge of losing their hard won rights and privileges, perhaps going back to what they were, a little over 100 years ago.

Serfdom

There was a time when land and capital were in the hands of a few and slave labour was the order of the day. Then came serfdom - a form of oppressed labour, which was a lesser type of slavery. The poor, almost 95 per cent of the people, were forced to live a wretched life.

Industrial Revolution

The Industrial Revolution, in the late 19th century, helped to break away from serfdom, whilst permitting the right to choose one's occupation and the freedom of ownership of property. It also brought in hopeless working conditions, low pay, and unrestricted hours of work. Men, women and children were kept on their feet 12 to 15 hours a day, working under inhuman conditions.

The thinking at the time, among the rich, was that the poor had to be kept in poverty and half-starved to get them to work according to their dictates. The workers were prevented from organising themselves and demanding better working conditions. Worker combinations or trade unions were considered as conspiracies by law. Workers engaged in trade union activities were summarily persecuted and imprisoned. There was no job security. The hire and fire system was in operation. Human rights and dignity were not for the workpeople.

The competition among the employers was such that even those who recognised the necessity to improve working conditions, introduce shorter working hours and increase wages, did not venture to do so, for fear of being overtaken by their unscrupulous competitors. The only aim of the employers was the accumulation of wealth by maximizing profits. That was possible only by maintaining poor working conditions, low pay and long working hours without rest days. And that was what the workpeople had to put up with.

It is noteworthy that at the time, the State backed the rich land owners and industrialists and prevented the workers from organising themselves. There was interdependence and cooperation between the politicians and the industrialists and that helped the rich to prevent the poor workers from asserting their rights, and call for social reforms. That situation was inevitable as the private sector was the only economic rallying point and the employers were powerful financially and in turn politically too.

Rigid capitalism was entrenched.

Communism

The exploitation of the workers and peasants and miseries heaped on the hapless poor due to the operation of rigid capitalism resulted in the coming into being of Marxist Communism.Injustice of every kind, suppression of civil liberties and workers rights coupled with the obstruction of the introduction of social reforms so necessary, helped communism to thrive and spread. Communism benefitted from the failure on the part of the ruling elite to cope with the social and economic problems that existed and understand the signs of the times.

Downfall

Communism which promised a heaven on earth, failed to live up to expectations. Once in power, the communist elite betrayed the aspirations of every section of the society or social group which pinned it's hopes on Communism.

The workers who were told that they will be the rulers under a communist regime and will control the factories and workplaces they were employed in, instead, were deprived of their rights and privileges. Trade Unions were turned into organisations, not designed to safeguard the workers and working class interests, but to defend the communist party and the State.

Trade Unions were placed under communist party control. Leaders of trade unions were not elected by the workers but appointed by the communist party. Union officials were not free to side the workers and their interests. Work stoppages were not to be. The workers under communist rule were an oppressed lot. They were disillusioned.The Communists who promised lands to the peasants, abolished private ownership of agricultural property and livestock, and took over lands to set up collective farms. The peasent was ultimately transformed to be as any other industrial worker. Their hopes and aspirations were shattered.

Press Freedom was suppressed. Freedom of speech and of publication was removed. There was no room for the people to choose what they should read and write. One party system of elections was introduced.

As a result of the suppression of the rights of the workers and the peasants, undemocratic practices and authoritarian rule, Communism came to be thrown out of the countries that embraced the political system earlier. In the few countries where Communism exists, democratic freedoms are being clamoured for, by the people, workers and the peasants.

Disunity

Today, in Sri Lanka, the workpeople are disunited. There is a multiplicity of trade unions. The leadership of trade unions has passed on to politicians or nominees of political parties. The workers have no say in the running of the unions. Politicians who took to trade unionism and Trade Unionists who took to politics, have all let down the trade union movement. Trade unions which have been vehicles of social change are no more in a position to don that role. The splintered and weakened trade union movement is facing a bleak future.

Capitalism has lost its rigidity. Communism is on the decline.

A start should therefore be made to use the present favourable conditions, to move forward towards social democracy that will lead to Social Justice, which in turn will usher in an era of peace and prosperity. There is otherwise no guarantee that a worse form of fascism, taking cover under the people's frustration and dissatisfaction, will not emerge.

The people, more so the workpeople, should address their minds to this when they celebrate May Day today. The workpeople should take the lead using their collective power to safeguard their interests and stifle any form of fascism emerging.

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