What did the dictatorship of the colonels represent in Greek history? Was it a "parenthesis" that can be overlooked, or did it express trends that survived even after its fall? What were its origins and what are its long-term consequences? How does it fit into the broader international phenomenon of authoritarian regimes in the modern era? To what extent does the Greek public discussion about these regimes reflect contemporary trends in research within the international academic discourse?

Focusing on the April dictatorship in Greece of 1967, the book covers its causes, as well as its legacy in the post-junta period. The goal is not to reproduce clichés but to present new perspectives, hypotheses, and interpretations.

The book is structured into three parts. The first develops the theories of political science regarding authoritarian regimes internationally and in Greece. The second part refers to the political developments of the period and thoroughly analyzes the causes that led to the imposition of the dictatorship as well as the key characteristics of governance during the seven-year period.

In the third and final part, the social and cultural developments of the long 1960s are described, along with the transformations of Greek society in the 1970s.