Today it's International Workers Day, better known as Labour Day. Let's break this day down word by word. Why is it international? Why is it about workers? And why is it celebrated on the 1st of May?

>Workers

Let's start with 'workers'. Before the 18th century, most people in all societies all over the world were farmers, roughly 80-90%. This totally changed in England with the agricultural (17th-19th century) and industrial revolution (end of 18th, 19th century). Because of technological innovations, less people were needed to produce more food, the population grew, there was an increased demand for products and people moved to the city looking for work. 

This created the perfect circumstances for the Industrial Revolution to happen kickstarted by the invention of the steam engine. Over the course of the 19th century, England ( followed by other countries) industrialised: Factories were built, people moved to quickly growing heavily polluted cities and 'labourer' or 'worker' replaced farmer as the most common job. 

>International 

The people profiting from these changes were the factory owners. As there was a large pool of labourers and no labour laws, all workers were exploited: they worked 14 hour shifts 6 days a week for a low wage in dangerous conditions. If you dared to complain about this, you were fired. There were 9 others who would eagerly take your job.

People like Karl Marx observed these terrible working conditions and started socialist movements to improve the situation for workers worldwide. These different movements, although they often disagreed with each other, worked together and met for the first time in London in 1864 as the First International.

>Day

On the 1st of May 1886 a protest for an 8 hour work day was held in Chicago. It ended in a bloodbath. To honor this protest and the workers who died the Second International chose the 1st of May as international workers day and designated the perfect occasion for protests worldwide. 

Originally posted on Instagram on May 1, 2021