May Day festivities and the revolution

May Day, observed by many countries on May 1, is a holiday celebrating the achievements of the labor movement and especially commemorating the successful fight for the eight-hour work day. It is a day for celebration, but also for political protest, like the pro-immigrant and pro-worker immigration reform rally in Los Angeles I had the privilege of stopping by on Friday.

And in Cuba, thousands participate in the parade and celebration in Revolution Square in Havana. The workers’ holiday is closely intertwined with the goals and ideals of the 50-year-old Cuban revolution. 

This year, as Ron Ridenour suggests here, Cubans should have used the holiday for protest as well as celebration. Cuban citizen-workers are faced with low salaries and a divisive two-currency system; shortages of food and other important goods provided by the state; and housing difficulties exacerbated by last season’s hurricanes.

Furthermore, the Cuban people lack a forum for debate that might contribute to advancing their interests or exchanging ideas on improvement, and the state continues to limit their access to information. Félix Guerra makes an argument for open debate in a National Congress, and links his proposition to the ideals of the Cuban revolution in his piece here. He cleverly invokes José Martí and images of nature to illustrate the point that debate and respectful exchange of ideas are patriotic, natural and necessary. He defends the value of diversity of opinion while respecting the socialist idea of uniformity—that each citizen and worker must have equal benefits and access. Such uniformity cannot supersede the diversity of opinion and of worthwhile ideas that has been shown throughout Cuban history to be a great “spring that is impossible to repress.”

Without rights like these, the May Day celebration of yesterday and last evening seems rather hollow.