In 1974 the cartoonist João Abel Manta published a cartoon entitled Um problema dificili in witch some of the most important figure of Socialism were represented looking at a black board where is drown a silhouette of Portugal.

The themes at the basis of this cartoon are the same of our special issue.
What did it happen in the left political central committees the day after of the 25th of April 1974? What was the debate that this revolution without blood caused among intellectuals, militants of different left groups around Europe? And which different positions were present during the all revolutionary process from April 1974 and March 1975?
Starting from these questions authors would like to investigate how the authoritarian regime’s end in Portugal was at the same time the “last Marxist revolution” – as said by Maxwell- and the first spot of a strong movement which touched directly many European countries
Furthermore, considering the “long” revolutionary process until November 1975, the authors deals with the debate caused in the left parties in the other European Countries by the different positions raised among the actors of the Carnation Revolutions and the unfold of events.
Finally a special attention will be given to the significance that the Carnation Revolution have had during the last forty years in the Portuguese society and which was the public use of this event.

The seminar, thought as a workshop, aims to present the project at the basis of the Special Issue of the Italian Contemporary History Review «Ricerche Storiche». In this occasion will be illustrated the main themes that have inspirited the issue and the first draft of the articles.