The example that accurately contrasts political participation in democratic and authoritarian systems of government is:
Authoritarian governments harshly punish speech that is critical of the government and its leaders; democratic governments do not.
This statement highlights the fundamental differences in how freedom of speech and political dissent are treated in these two types of governance. In democratic systems, criticism of the government is generally tolerated and protected, whereas in authoritarian regimes, such speech is often met with repression and punishment.