The **Carnation Revolution** or **Portoguese Revolution of 1974** refers
to a military coup and the resulting unrest which brought down the
fascist regime in [Portugal](Portugal "wikilink") and led to numerous
progressive reforms and nearly created
[self-management](Workers'_Self-Management "wikilink") in industry.
Occurring on the [25th of April,
1974](Timeline_of_Libertarian_Socialism_in_Southern_Europe "wikilink"),
the revolution was part of a wider chain of global revolts against
authoritarian governments and cultures.

## US Interference

An excerpt from [William Blum's](William_Blum "wikilink") book [Rogue
State](Rogue_State_\(Book\) "wikilink") provides the best summary:

> A bloodless military coup in 1974 brought down the US-supported
> 48-year fascist regime that was the world's only remaining colonial
> power. This was followed by a program centered on nationalization of
> major industries, workers' control, a minimum wage, land reform and
> other progressive measures. Washington and multinational officials who
> were on the board of directors of the planet were concerned.
> Destabilization became the order of the day: covert actions; attacks
> in the US press; subverting trade unions; subsidizing opposition
> media; economic sabotage through international credit and commerce;
> heavy financing of selected candidates in elections; a US cut-off of
> Portugal from certain military and nuclear information commonly
> available to NATO members; NATO naval and air exercises off the
> Portuguese coast, with 19 NATO warships moored in Lisbon’s harbor,
> regarded by most Portuguese as an attempt to intimidate the
> provisional government. The Portuguese revolution was doomed. The
> CIA-financed candidates took and retained power for years.

## See Also

  - [Athens Polytechnic
    Uprising](Athens_Polytechnic_Uprising_\(1973\) "wikilink")
  - [Second Spanish Revolution](Second_Spanish_Revolution "wikilink")
  - [Revolutions of 1968 - 1975](Revolutions_of_1968_-_1975 "wikilink")