节日介绍英语

1866年，第一国际日内瓦会议提出八小时工作制的口号。1886年5月1日，以美国芝加哥为中心，在美国举行了约35万人参加的大规模罢工和示威，示威者要求改善劳动条件，实行八小时工作制。5月3日芝加哥出动进行，开打死两人，事态扩大，5月4日罢工工人在干草市场广场举行，由于不明身份者向投掷，最终开，先后共有4位工人、7位死亡，史称“干草市场”（Haymarket Riot）或“干草市场”（Haymarket Massacre）。在随后的宣判中有8位无主义者以谋杀罪被起诉，4位无主义者被绞死，1位在牢中自杀。

为纪念这次事件以及随后的宣判，在世界范围内举行了工人的活动。这些活动成为了“国际劳动节”的前身。18年7月在巴黎举行的第二国际第一次代表大会决定把5月1日作为“国际示威日”亦称“国际劳动节”。在美国直到1935年罗斯福总统执政时，八小时工作制才作为一种全国立法被确定下来。

[编辑] 庆祝

在社会主义体系的国家中，由于社会主义者普遍认为国家是由农民、工人与无产阶级共同奋斗而建国的，各个社会主义国家的党党徽中常见到锤子与镰刀的图样，锤子象征工人，故社会主义国家普遍注重劳工的地位以及贡献，连带重视了劳动节假期，并在劳动节当天进行全国性的庆祝活动。

[编辑] 前苏联

苏联统治时期，每年的劳动节当天，莫斯科会出现盛大的场面，红场旁的大道会有一批批苏联党、苏联共青团的队伍，其中包含了马列肖像的列队进场。后来在苏联解体后，俄罗斯就没有举办大规模的劳动节活动。

[编辑] 中国

1999年9月18日，中国发布《关于修改〈全国年节及纪念日放假办法〉的决定》，第一次修订了1949年12月23日中国政务院发布的《全国年节及纪念日放假办法》，将每年春节、“五一”和国庆节法定节日加上调休，全国放假7天，形成了3个“黄金周”。2007年12月14日，中国第二次修订《全国年节及纪念日放假办法》，将春节的放假起始时间由农历年正月初一调整为除夕；“五一”由7天调整为3天，减少4天；清明、端午、中秋增设为法定节假日，各放假3天。五一黄金周也将成为历史。2008年起，五一黄金周变为五一3天小长假。

中国在每年五一劳动节举办大型工人联欢会。

另外在与澳门境内，自从回归以后，五一国际劳动节被列为特区境内的国定假日，并于当天放假一天。但在澳门回归以后，澳门在每年的五月一日当天会有各社团与利益团体上街向澳门特区的活动，即所谓的“

澳门五一”。

International Workers' Day is the commemoration of the 1886 Haymarket Massacre in Chicago, when, after an unknown person threw a dynamite bomb at police as they dispersed a public meeting, Chicago police fired on workers during a general strike for the eight hour workday, killing several demonstrators and resulting in the deaths of several police officers, largely from friendly fire.[1][2][3][4] In 18, the first congress of the Second International, meeting in Paris for the centennial of the French Revolution and the Exposition Universelle, following a proposal by Raymond Lavigne, called for international demonstrations on the 10 anniversary of the Chicago protests.[citation needed] May Day was formally recognized as an annual event at the International's second congress in 11.[citation needed]

Subsequently, the May Day Riots of 14 occurred. In 1904, the International Socialist Conference meeting in Amsterdam called on "all Social Democratic Party organizations and trade unions of all countries to demonstrate energetically on May First for the legal establishment of the 8-hour day, for the class demands of the proletariat, and for universal peace." The congress made it "mandatory upon the proletarian organizations of all countries to stop work on May 1, wherever it is possible without injury to the workers."[5]

In many countries, the working classes sought to make May Day an official holiday, and their efforts largely succeeded. May Day has long been a focal point for demonstrations by various socialist, communist and anarchist groups. In some circles, bonfires are lit in commemoration of the Haymarket martyrs, usually at dawn.[6] May Day has been an important official holiday in Communist countries such as the People's Republic of China, Cuba and the former Soviet Union. May Day celebrations typically feature elaborate popular and military parades in these countries.

In the United States and Canada, however, the official holiday for workers is Labor Day in September. This day was promoted by the Central Labor Union and the Knights of Labor, who organized the first parade in New York City. After the Haymarket Square riot in May, 1886, US President Grover Cleveland feared that commemorating Labor Day on May 1 could become an opportunity to commemorate the riots. Thus he moved in 1887 to support the Labor Day that the Knights supported.[7]

In 1955, the Catholic Church dedicated May 1 to "Saint Joseph The Worker". The Catholic Church considers Saint Joseph the patron saint of (among others) workers, craftsmen,[8] and "people fighting communism".[9]

Right-wing governments have traditionally sought to repress the message behind International Workers' Day, with fascist governments in Portugal, Italy, Germany and Spain abolishing the workers' holiday, and the Conservative party in the UK currently attempting to abolish the UK's annual May Day Bank Holiday.[10][not in citation given]

China

In th

e People's Republic of China, May 1 marked the start of one of the country's three "Golden Weeks". Three days off work were given, and one of the surrounding weekends was, for no more than 3 days. From 2008, only one day would still be given, with the other two days being rescheduled on Qingming in early April and Duanwu in early June, respectively.