Workers of the world, unite!
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The political slogan "Workers of the world, unite!" is one of the rallying cries from The Communist Manifesto (1848)[1][2][3][4] by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels (German: Proletarier aller Länder, vereinigt Euch!, literally 'Proletarians of all countries, unite!',[5] but soon popularised in English as "Workers of the world, unite! You have nothing to lose but your chains!").[5][note 1]
A variation of this phrase ("Workers of all lands, unite") is also inscribed on Marx's tombstone.[7] The essence of the slogan is that members of the working classes throughout the world should cooperate to defeat capitalism and achieve victory in the class conflict.[8]
Overview
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/01/Chelovek_s_ruzhyom-Tenin_Shtraukh_Gelovani.jpg/220px-Chelovek_s_ruzhyom-Tenin_Shtraukh_Gelovani.jpg)
![Thin and small Membership card/ document of the Romanian Communist Party (PCR). Made in 1980. The party's emblem and the words "Proletari din toate țările, uniți-vă!; Carnet de membru; 1980" are on the booklet's cover.](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c9/Carnet_2.png/220px-Carnet_2.png)
Five years before The Communist Manifesto, this phrase appeared in the 1843 book The Workers' Union by Flora Tristan.[9]
The International Workingmen's Association, described by Engels as "the first international movement of the working class" was persuaded by Engels to change its motto from the League of the Just's "all men are brothers" to "working men of all countries, unite!".[10] It reflected Marx's and Engels' view of proletarian internationalism.
The phrase has overlapping meanings: first, that workers should unite in unions to better push for their demands such as workplace pay and conditions;[11][better source needed] secondly, that workers should see beyond their various craft unions and unite against the capitalist system;[12] and thirdly, workers of different countries have more in common with each other than workers and employers of the same country.
The phrase was used by the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) in their publications and songs[13][14] and was a mainstay on banners in May Day demonstrations. The IWW used it when opposing World War I in both the United States[14] and Australia.[15]
The slogan was the Soviet Union's state motto (Пролетарии всех стран, соединяйтесь!; Proletarii vsekh stran, soyedinyaytes'!) and it appeared in the State Emblem of the Soviet Union. It also appeared on 1919 Russian SFSR banknotes (in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Italian and Russian),[16] on Soviet ruble coins from 1921 to 1934[17] and was the slogan of Soviet newspaper Pravda.[18]
Some socialist and communist parties continue using it.[19][failed verification]
Variations
[edit]In the first Swedish translation of The Communist Manifesto, published in 1848, the translator Pehr Götrek substituted the slogan with Folkets röst, Guds röst! (i.e. Vox populi, vox Dei, or "The Voice of the People, the Voice of God"). However, later translations have included the original slogan.[20]
The guiding motto of the 2nd Comintern congress in 1920, under Lenin's directive, was "Workers and oppressed peoples of all countries, unite!".[21] This denoted the anti-colonialist agenda of the Comintern, and was seen as an attempt to unite racially-subjugated black people and the global proletariat in anti-imperialist struggle.[21]
In other languages
[edit]This slogan was used by several socialist states and communist parties as their official motto.
Motto of the Soviet Union
[edit]In each Soviet republic, the same motto was used in the local language.
Language | Motto | Transliteration | Used by |
---|---|---|---|
Russian | Пролетарии всех стран, соединяйтесь! | Proletarii vsekh stran, soyedinyaytes'! (BGN/PCGN) Proletarii vseh stran, soědinäjteś! (Scientific) |
Russian SFSR, Soviet Union |
Ukrainian | Пролетарі всіх країн, єднайтеся! | Proletarii vsikh krayin, yednaytesya! (BGN/PCGN) Proletari vsich kraïn, jednajtesä! (Scientific) |
Ukrainian SSR |
Byelorussian | Пралетарыі ўсіх краін, яднайцеся! | Pralyetarye, wsikh krain, yadnaytsesya! (BGN/PCGN) Pralětaryi wsich krain, jadnajcěsya! (Scientific) |
Byelorussian SSR |
Uzbek | Бутун дунё пролетарлари, бирлашингиз! | Butun dunyo proletarlari, birlashingiz!/Butun dunyo proletarlari, birlaşingiz! | Uzbek SSR |
Kazakh | Барлық елдердің пролетарлары, бірігіңдер! | Barlıq yelderdiñ proletarları, birigiñder! | Kazakh SSR |
Georgian | პროლეტარებო ყველა ქვეყნისა, შეერთდით! | Proletarebo qvela kveqnisa, šeertdit! | Georgian SSR |
Azerbaijani | Бүтүн өлкәләрин пролетарлары, бирләшин! | Bütün ölkələrin proletarları, birləşin! | Azerbaijan SSR, Dagestan ASSR |
Lithuanian | Visų šalių proletarai, vienykitės! | Lithuanian SSR | |
Romanian (Moldovan Cyrillic) | Пролетарь дин тоате цэриле, уници-вэ! | Proletari din toate țările, uniți-vă! | Moldavian SSR |
Latvian | Visu zemju proletārieši, savienojieties! | Latvian SSR | |
Kyrghz | Бардык өлкөлордүн пролетарлары, бириккиле! | Bardıq ölkölordün proletarları, birikkile! | Kirghiz SSR |
Tajik | Пролетарҳои ҳамаи мамлакатҳо, як шавед! | Proletarhoi hamai mamlakatho, yak šaved! | Tajik SSR |
Armenian | Պրոլետարներ բոլոր երկրների, միացե՛ք | Proletarner bolor yerkrneri, miac’ek’! | Armenian SSR Nagorno-Karabakh AO |
Turkmen | Әхли юртларың пролетарлары, бирлешиң! | Ähli ýurtlaryň proletarlary, birleşiň!/Ähli yurtlarıñ proletarları, birleşiñ! | Turkmen SSR |
Estonian | Kõigi maade proletaarlased, ühinege! | Estonian SSR | |
Abkhaz | Атәылаӄуа зегьы рпролетарцәа, шәҽеидышәкыл! | Atwylaqwa zeğy rproletarcwa, šwč’eidyšwkyl! | Abkhaz ASSR |
Avar | Киналго улкабазул пролетарал, цолъе нуж! | Kinalgo ulkabazul proletaral, col’e nuž! | Dagestan ASSR |
Bashkir | Бөтә илдәрҙең пролетарийҙәре, берләшегеҙ! | Böte ilderceń proletariycäre, berläşegec! | Bashkir ASSR |
Buryat | Бүхы оронуудай пролетаринар, нэгэдэгты! | Bühy oronuudaj proletarinar, negedegty! | Buryat ASSR |
Chechen | Массо а мехкийн пролетареш, цхьанакхета! | Masso a mexkiyn proletareş, cx’anakxeta! | Checheno-Ingush ASSR Dagestan ASSR |
Chuvash | Пӗтӗм тӗнчери пролетарисем, пӗрлешӗр! | Pétém ténçeri proletarisem, pérleşér! | Chuvash ASSR |
Crimean Tatar | Бютюн мемлекетлерининъ пролетарлары, бирлешинъиз! | Bütün memleketleriniñ proletarları, birleşiñiz! | Crimean ASSR |
Erzya | Чыла элласе пролетарий-влак, ушныза! | Čyla ellase proletarij-vlak, ušnyza! | Mordovian ASSR |
Finnish | Kaikkien maiden proletaarit, liittykää yhteen! | Karelo-Finnish SSR, Karelian ASSR | |
Ingush | Масса а мехкашкара пролетареш вӀашагӀкхета! | Massa a mexkaškara proletareš vwašağxeta! | Checheno-Ingush ASSR |
Kabardian | Хэгъэгу пстэухэм япролетариехэр, зы шъухъу! | Xeğegu psteuxem japroletariěxer, zy š’uhu! | Kabardino-Balkarian ASSR |
Kalmyk | Цуг-орн нутгудын пролетармуд, негдцхәтн! | Cug-orn nutgudyn proletarmud, negdchâtn! | Kalmyk ASSR |
Karachay-Balkar | Бютеу дунияны пролетарлары, бирлешигиз! | Büteu duniyanı proletarları, birleşigiz! | Kabardino-Balkar ASSR |
Karakalpak | Барлык еллердин пролетарлары, бирлесиниз! | Barlık ellerdin proletarları, birlesiniz! | Karakalpak ASSR |
Komi | Став мувывса пролетарийяс, oтувтчӧй! | Stav muvyvsa proletarijjas, otuvtčöj! | Komi ASSR |
Mari | Чыла элласе пролетарий-влак, ушныза! | Çyla ellase proletarij-vlak, uşnyza! | Mari ASSR |
Moksha | Чыла элласе пролетарий-влак, ушныза! | Čyla ellase proletarij-vlak, ušnyza! | Mordovian ASSR |
Ossetian | Ӕппӕт бӕстӕты пролетартӕ баиу ут! | Áppát bástáty proletartá baiu ut! | North Ossetian ASSR South Ossetian AO |
Sakha | Бары дойдулар пролетарийдара, холбоһуҥ! | Barı doydular proletariydara, xolbohuň! | Yakut ASSR |
Tat | Пролетарьой гьеме билеетгьо, ек бошти! | Proletar'oy heme bileetho, ek boşti! | Dagestan ASSR |
Tatar | Барлык илләрнең пролетарийлары, берләшегез! | Barlıq illärneñ proletariyları, berläşegez! | Tatar ASSR |
Tuvan | Бүгү делегейниң пролетарлары, каттыжыңар! | Bügü delegeyniñ proletarları, kattıjıñar! | Tuvan ASSR |
Udmurt | Вань странаосысь пролетарийёс, огазеяське! | Vań stranaosyś proletarijjos, ogazejaśke! | Udmurt ASSR |
Motto of other countries
[edit]Language | Motto | Transliteration | Used by |
---|---|---|---|
Albanian | Proletarë të të gjitha vendeve, bashkohuni! | Albania | |
Bulgarian | Пролетарии от всички страни съединявайте се! | Proletárii ot vsíchki straní, sǎеdinyávaite se! | Bulgaria |
Chinese | 全世界無産階級和被壓迫的民族聯合起來![note 2] | Quánshìjiè wúchǎnjiējí hé bèi yāpò de mínzú liánhé qǐlai! | Chinese Soviet Republic |
Czech | Proletáři všech zemí, spojte se! | Czechoslovakia | |
Dari | کارگران جهان متحد شوید! | Kârgarân-e jahân mottahed šavid! | Afghanistan |
French | Prolétaires de tous les pays, unissez-vous ! | Benin, Madagascar | |
German | Proletarier aller Länder, vereinigt Euch! | East Germany, Volga German ASSR | |
Hungarian | Világ proletárjai, egyesüljetek! | Hungarian People's Republic, Hungarian Soviet Republic | |
Malagasy | Mpiasa eran'izao tontolo izao, mampiray! | Madagascar | |
Mongolian | Орон бүрийн пролетари нар нэгдэгтүн! | Oron büriin proletari nar negdegtün! | Mongolia |
Polish | Proletariusze wszystkich krajów, łączcie się! | Polish People's Republic | |
Romanian | Proletari din toate țările, uniți-vă! | Romania | |
Slovak | Proletári všetkých krajín, spojte sa! | Czechoslovakia, Slovak Soviet Republic | |
Tuvan | Бүгү телегейниң пролетарлары болгаш дарлаткан араттары каттыжыңар! | Pygy delegejniꞑ вroledarlarь polgaş tarladkan araddarь kaddьƶьꞑar! | Tuvan People's Republic |
Motto of communist parties
[edit]The English phrase and its variants (the variant "All power to the workers" is used by some parties such as the Communist Party of Australia) are used by communist parties in the English-speaking world. The list below does not include the mottos of communist parties of the above countries or in languages listed above.
Language | Motto | Transliteration | Used by | Active in |
---|---|---|---|---|
Arabic | يا عمال العالم ويا شعوبه المضطهدة، اتحدوا! | Ya ‘ummāla l-‘ālami wa yā shu‘ūbahu l-muṭṭahada, ittaḥidū! | Jordanian Communist Party | Jordan |
Bengali | দুনিয়ার মজদুর, এক হও! | Duniẏār môjdur, ēk hôo! | Communist Party of Bangladesh | Bangladesh |
Greek | Προλετάριοι όλων των χωρών, ενωθείτε! | Proletárioi ólon ton chorón, enothíte! | Communist Party of Greece | Greece |
Indonesian | Para buruh seluruh dunia, bersatulah! | Communist Party of Indonesia | Indonesia | |
Macedonian | Пролетери од сите земји, обединете се! | Proleteri od site zemji, obedinete se! | League of Communists of Macedonia | Yugoslavia |
Malay | Kaum buruh semua negeri, bersatulah! | Malayan Communist Party | Malaysia | |
Serbo-Croatian | Пролетери свих земаља уједините се! | Proleteri svih zemalja, ujedinite se! | League of Communists of Yugoslavia | Yugoslavia |
Slovene | Proletarci vseh dežel, združite se! | League of Communists of Slovenia | Yugoslavia | |
Tagalog | Manggagawa ng lahat ng bansa, magkaisa! | Communist Party of the Philippines | Philippines | |
Turkish | Bütün ülkelerin işçileri ve ezilen halklar, birleşin![a] | Socialist Liberation Party | Turkey |
See also
[edit]
Notes
[edit]- ^ The final paragraph of The Communist Manifesto was translated by Samuel Moore as follows: "The Communists disdain to conceal their views and aims. They openly declare that their ends can be attained only by the forcible overthrow of all existing social conditions. Let the ruling classes tremble at a Communistic revolution. The proletarians have nothing to lose but their chains. They have a world to win. WORKING MEN OF ALL COUNTRIES, UNITE!". This translation is the authorized translation by Marx and Engels and is the most commonly used version in English.[6]
- ^ This is not the usual modern Chinese translation of the slogan. The most common one nowadays is 全世界無産者,聯合起來! (Quánshìjiè wúchǎnzhě, liánhé qǐlái!)
- ^ Literally "Workers of all countries and oppressed people, unite!
References
[edit]- ^ Gabrijela Kišiček; Igor Ž. Žagar (3 October 2013). What Do We Know About the World?: Rhetorical and Argumentative Perspectives. University of Windsor. p. 471. ISBN 978-0-920233-70-2.
One of the most famous rallying cries of communism Workers of the world, unite!
- ^ Simon Levis Sullam (21 October 2015). Giuseppe Mazzini and the Origins of Fascism. Palgrave Macmillan US. p. 91. ISBN 978-1-137-51459-2.
only a few years later, would give the famous rallying cry Workers of t...
- ^ Edward R. Kantowicz (1999). The Rage of Nations. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. p. 21. ISBN 978-0-8028-4455-2.
titled The Communist Manifesto, which contained the famous rallying cry: "Workers of the w...
- ^ Ronald Niezen (15 April 2008). A World Beyond Difference: Cultural Identity in the Age of Globalization. John Wiley & Sons. p. 129. ISBN 978-1-4051-3710-2.
The famous rallying cry from The Communist Manifesto, "workers of the world unite!" was meant only to hasten the [...]
- ^ a b "Translator's note to the Communist Manifesto". Marxists.org. Marxist Internet Archive. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
- ^ Marx, Karl; Engels, Friedrich (2002). Jones, Gareth Stedman (ed.). The Communist Manifesto (New ed.). London: Penguin. ISBN 978-0-140-44757-6.
- ^ Wheen, Francis (2002). "Introduction". Karl Marx: A Life. New York: Norton.
- ^ Ayres, Robert U. (2023). The history and future of economics. Cham: Springer. ISBN 978-3-031-26208-1.
- ^ Marie M. Collins and Sylvie Weil-Sayre (1973). "Flora Tristan: Forgotten Feminist and Socialist". Nineteenth-Century French Studies. 1 (4): 229–234. JSTOR 23535978.
- ^ Lucia Pradella in 'The Elgar Companion to Marxist Economics.' Edited by Ben fine and Alfredo Saad-Filho, 2012, p.178.
- ^ Wiktionary, entry for "Workers of the World"
- ^ Marx, Karl; Engels, Friedrich (1848). "Manifesto of the Communist Party". Translated by Moore, Samuel. Zodiac; Baggins, Brian; Blunden, Andy.
- ^ Grim Feinberg, Joseph (July–August 2005). "The Gifts of the IWW". Against the Current (117). Solidarity. Archived from the original on 2018-03-26.
- ^ a b Melvyn Dubofsky, We Shall Be All, Quadrangle Books, 1969.
- ^ Nick Armstrong, "The Industrial Workers of the World," Socialist Alternative, June 2005. [1]
- ^ Anderson, Joel. "RUSSIAN COINS AND CURRENCY". Interesting World Coins.
- ^ "Communist States: Russia and China". www.coinlands.com. Retrieved 18 April 2021.
- ^ Heritage, Timothy (4 May 2012). "Russia's Pravda hits 100, still urging workers to unite". Reuters. Retrieved 18 April 2021.
- ^ Thurston, Robert W.; Bonwetsch, Bernd (2000). The People's War: Responses to World War II in the Soviet Union (illustrated ed.). University of Illinois Press. p. 64. ISBN 9780252026003. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
- ^ Götrek, Pehr (1848). Kommunismens röst : förklaring af det kommunistiska partiet, offentliggjord i februari 1848. Pogo Press. ISBN 91-7386-018-2.. libris 7639421. reprint of libris 2683080.
- ^ a b Pateman, Joe (2 January 2020). "V. I. Lenin on the 'Black Question'". Critique. 48 (1): 77–93. doi:10.1080/03017605.2019.1706786. ISSN 0301-7605. S2CID 213348492. Retrieved 9 November 2020.
External links
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![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/99/Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg/40px-Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg.png)
- Manifesto of the Communist Party by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. Translated by Samuel Moore in cooperation with Frederick Engels, 1888.
- Chapter 4 of The Communist Manifesto.
- Collection of Quotes by Karl Marx Archived 2022-06-29 at the Wayback Machine