Putin dictatorship marches on

Vladimir Putin has more than made good on his promise when he became president eight years ago to impose "a dictatorship of law" on Russia's unruly young democracy. When he made the remark it was reasonable to assume that he really meant to say that he would use "the rule of law" to restore order in Russia. Time has shown that his intention was to place the emphasis of governance on dictatorship, not the law.

His contempt for the law was demonstrated by the ruse that he employed to perpetuate his dictatorship. Constitutionally barred from running for a third presidential term, he found a way around the law by arranging for the man he chose to be president to return the favor and nominate him for the job of prime minister.

So it was that Mr. Putin's scorn for the rule of law was on full view Wednesday when Dimitry Medvedev was sworn in as president in a lavish ceremony in the Kremlin. Mr. Medvedev's first announced act of government was to name his mentor, Mr. Putin, as his choice for prime minister, overwhelmingly approved on Thursday by the Russian parliament. And on Friday, Mr. Putin's Russia was on display as World War II Victory Day was celebrated in the old Soviet style with a parade of troops, tanks and nuclear missile launchers through Moscow's Red Square.

With all his flaws, Boris Yeltsin left Russia a legacy of democracy. Mr. Putin, the man he mistakenly entrusted to carry his mantle, has betrayed him. And on Wednesday in the Kremlin, democracy was mocked.

When President Medvedev was sworn in he did pledge to uphold human rights and respect individual freedoms, which The Associated Press noted was in direct contradiction to government action before and after his election to the presidency. Anti-government demonstrations were banned and protesters and dissidents were harassed and their meetings broken up.

The BBC reported him saying that he is "going to pay special attention to the fundamental role of the law. We must achieve a true respect in law, overcome the legal nihilism."

If those words were sincere, President Medvedev would have to reverse the dictatorial policies put in place by President Putin, who used the occasion of the swearing-in ceremony to announce that he intends to shape Russia's future by "formulating goals not for one or two months, but for 20 and 30 years ahead."

The AP reported that Mr. Putin has been devoting his time to strengthening the prime minister's role while also assuming the chairmanship of the United Russia party, which monopolizes power throughout Russia.

Everything suggests that Russia will continue to be ruled by the iron hand of a dictatorship, the only difference being that Mr. Putin will not, nominally, have the top job.