Was the October Revolution a more significant turning point in the nature of government in Russia than the February Revolution?

At first glance, the answer to this question seems to be simple: yes. Indeed, it is easy to regard the October Revolution of 1917 as the more important event, for the Provisional Goverment held power for only 8 months, whilst the Bolshevik coup inaugurated nearly 75 years of communist rule. Yet it is possible to reach a different and more nuanced conclusion by unpicking the title and identifying themes which will help to structure the answer itself. When several aspects of the nature of Russian government are considered - the character and role of ideology in a regime, the way in which it adminsters the country, and its treatment of opposition - it can be argued that the February Revolution marked a more dramatic break with the past and was therefore the more significant turning point. The October Revolution had a more direct impact on the character of government in terms of ideology, for the country was henceforth ruled by a Marxist regime which sought to establish communism and a dictatorship of the proletariat. The Provisional Government, on the other hand, did not have such clearly defined aims, and had both left- and right-wing members. However, the de facto abolition of the Romanov dynasty, and the Provisional Government's intention to hold democratic elections surely marks a greater turning point in the nature of government: the entire edifice of Tsardom, which had existed formally since 1547, crumbled and was replaced by something approaching a more western-style of democracy. Moreover, the liberal reforms implemented by the Provisional Government, such as the affirmation of full civil liberties for all citizens, mark a more significant departure from the nature of past government than those changes caused by the October Revolution. In fact, it is arguable that the ruthless and centralised Bolshevik party was just as autocratic as previous repressive Tsarist regimes. Although the treatment of opposition was transformed after the October Revolution - the CHEKA targeted both real and imagined opponents of the revolution, whilst the Provisional Government used more conventional methods such as military force - overall the February Revolution brought in more remarkable change to the nature of Russian government. The liberal reforms that were enacted represented a more decisive move away from the nature of past government, and the abolition of Tsardom changed the nature of government irreversibly. Ultimately, the October Revolution had the most profound long-term changes, but, in the context of the period, the February Revolution was a more momentous departure from old systems of government.