Quando a festa silencia a luta : a apropriação do 1º de Maio pelo estado varguista na Paraíba (1930-1945)

Abstract

10 ABSTRACT This study investigates the historical trajectory of May Day and its political appropriation during Getúlio Vargas’ government (1930–1945), focusing on the celebrations held in the state of Paraíba. Through historical and documentary research, based on labor historiography and analysis of the newspaper A União, it examines how a date originally marked by workers’ struggle was progressively transformed into an instrument of state propaganda. The research begins with a reflection on the history of labor, from Antiquity to the Industrial Revolution, highlighting the shift from labor as a divine imposition to a central element of capitalism. It then explores the formation of the Brazilian and Paraiban working class, emphasizing the limited visibility of regional labor movements outside the Rio–São Paulo axis. The study also reconstructs the international origins of May Day, rooted in the 1886 Chicago strikes, and its adoption in Brazil, where it became a national holiday in 1924. In Paraíba, early celebrations preserved an associative character, with solemn sessions and tributes to the Chicago Martyrs. However, from 1937 onward, increasing state centralization and control became evident, with events organized by government-aligned committees, official speeches, and the promotion of Vargas’ image as the “father of the poor.” Measures such as the minimum wage and the Consolidation of Labor Laws were presented as state gifts, overshadowing the memory of workers’ struggles. The study concludes that May Day in Paraíba exemplifies the Estado Novo’s ability to redefine symbols of resistance, transforming a day of protest into a celebration of social harmony and loyalty to the government.