Första Maj

The first of May has been a celebrated day in Sweden since 1890, and was made a public holiday, or "red day," in 1938. Following Valborg, it's a very special political day, rather than simply a celebration. May day has traditionally been associated with socialism and communism, and been a day for left wing parties (and technically anyone, but traditionally left wing) to voice their politics. The celebration of the first of May was started by the Social Democratic Party of Sweden and began as a day for the Labor Movement, as it is declared International Worker's day.

Public participation in politics is astoundingly high in Sweden, largely due to the fact that Swedish politics are much, much easier to influence and participate in than U.S. politics.

Majoritarian politics, as in the U.S., leaves people feeling unheard and decreases voter turnout. Furthermore, strict voting laws and excessive working hours bar people from voting. Forming a political party with alternate ideas is a often a fruitless effort when it comes to getting elected (though the formation of an alternate political party is a statement in itself), since legal corruption maintains the power of both the Republican and Democratic parties.

The possibilities that lie within the Swedish system are inspiring, and watching people celebrate politics is beautiful to me as a political science student and as a person in society. Caring about politics means caring about your community and your fellow humans, and it gives me hope for the future. If state politics in the U.S. could function like the Swedish political system, possibility for large-scale change would feel more realistic (not that the feeling of impossibility will stop me from trying)!

I was talking to a Swedish friend the other day about Swedish politics and how impressive the public policies and attitudes are here (especially in Uppsala), and she said that it doesn't say much about Sweden, but more about the rest of the world, and that Sweden is not perfect. This attitude is vital because there is always room for improvement and positive social change.

Glad Första Maj everyone!

In Solidarity,

Naomi