Political parties affect government because these parties are represented in a government throughout the members that are elected to office. Political parties are the basis of ideology which guide how the elected official govern thus shaping the government overall. Traditions affect the function of government because much of what occurs in government is based on tradition. Certain practices, procedures, and structures become very difficult to change because of the tradition that has developed as these practices have been used and institutionalized over time. In addition tradition shapes political thinking about what is possible in the political system such as the number of parties, ideas that should be represented, and other important factors that impact governance.
