The event that marked the consolidation of power during the Russian Revolution was the Bolshevik takeover of the Winter Palace in October 1917, which led to the establishment of a communist government. This event followed months of political turbulence and protests against the existing provisional government, which failed to address issues like war participation and economic hardship. The Bolsheviks, led by Vladimir Lenin, effectively seized control with minimal resistance, claiming to represent the interests of the working class and poor peasants. This takeover set in motion a civil war and the establishment of Soviet authority, dramatically transforming Russian society and politics.