After the disasterous hostage crisis in the small village of Beslan earlier this month which left over 300 dead, many questions have arisen over Russia's anti-terror tactics — and Vladimir Putin has an answer: the overhaul of Russian democracy. Not only does Putin want to create a new anti-terror agency, he wants to reshape the Russian electorate in order to further consolidate power within the Kremlin:

Despite the plans for the new anti-terrorism agency, the proposals were short on security measures, focusing instead on electoral changes, including the elimination of popularly elected governors and an overhaul of the way Russians elect their parliament — a measure likely to increase the control of the dominant, pro-Kremlin faction.

Critics called the measures a blow to democracy, and warned that Putin's reliance on top-down control ultimately could weaken the nation by driving those in power further from the citizens they rule.

Some critics also suggested that Putin's decision to focus on electoral changes was a sign he lacks practical ideas about protecting Russia after a series of stunning terror attacks blamed on Chechen rebels, climaxing in the school siege that killed more than 330 people.

Putin said he would propose legislation abolishing the election of local governors by popular vote. Instead they would be nominated by the president and confirmed by local legislatures — removing the last vestiges of local autonomy.

Putin explained his actions as necessary to streamline and strengthen the executive branch to make it more capable of combating terror.

This is a highly disturbing development as it attacks the very foundation of democracy within the Russian state, something which has been evolving since the end of the Cold War. The possibility that these actions could eventually backfire on Putin are high, but after weeks of terrorist activity the Russian citizens are open to Putin's power grab — they are looking toward the almighty sovereign for protection. Parrallels can be drawn between the Russian situation and the American one post-9/11; this is the attitude and response that led to the Patriot Act. The question is: how much freedom is one willing to sacrifice for security? Currently the Russians seem to care little about their freedom. But what happens when they begin missing it? Now that is the true question, and it is one we have yet to answer even in this country.