Just a question

The Christian Science Monitor for December 9 has a reasonably good editorial on the "pseudodemocracy" now in place in Russia after the victory of supporters of President Vladimir Putin in a widely-criticized election.

However, in the middle of it, they say

Optimists say the wildly popular Putin could use his increased political strength to push through the free-market economic reforms Russia so desperately needs. But given Russia's history, pessimists - including Russia's real democrats - worry that the country is drifting back toward czarist-style authoritarian rule.

And just why are we supposed to accept that "free market reforms" and "authoritarian rule" mark opposing poles on the political map?