Reflection on Labor Day

With the arrival of International Labor Day on May 1st, it is necessary for us to review the origin of this holiday. It originated from a large-scale strike by workers in Chicago, USA, on May 1, 1886, who were fighting for an 8-hour workday.

However, at this time, there are always some economists who advocate for the abolition of labor laws and the implementation of a completely free employment system. These views often hide specific positions and interests. Economic theories and the opinions of economists cannot be entirely objective or neutral; they all carry some form of bias.

The views of these economists typically lean towards the interests of business owners and capitalists. Their arguments may spark some controversy, such as the belief that a 5-day, 8-hour work week could lead to trade wars or even hot wars. However, this logic is debatable. In fact, history shows that excessive overtime and overproduction are the main reasons that led capitalists to seek to expand into overseas markets, which in turn triggered the global colonial wars of the 17th to 19th centuries.

Human production activities can be roughly divided into three stages:

1. Self-sufficiency stage: People produce solely to meet their basic needs.
2. Meeting the Needs of Others Stage: Producers produce according to market demand.
3. Production for Profit Stage: The purpose of production shifts to the pursuit of profit maximization.

The third stage, which is the capitalist mode of production, often leads to overproduction and surplus supply. This mode of production no longer aims to satisfy human needs, but rather to produce for profit. In this process, people become tools for realizing profits and are reduced to mere means of capital appreciation.

In this situation, workers often find themselves in a dilemma. They have to keep working to survive, yet it is difficult to truly achieve financial freedom. Some so-called methods of getting rich are often just an IQ tax, with the real profit going to those who teach these methods.

In the face of such a situation, how should ordinary people respond? Perhaps the answer lies in viewing the problem from a higher perspective. Since the logic of capital has inherent contradictions, a wise approach might be to avoid falling into endless competition and instead look for truly scarce and valuable things.

On this special holiday, we not only commemorate the contributions of workers but also reflect on how to protect our rights within the existing system and pursue true freedom and happiness.