Political symbols simplify and “summarize” the political structures and practices for which they stand; can connect institutions and beliefs with emotions; can help make a polity or political movement more cohesive. People fit themselves to words as much as they bend them to their own purposes.
Political symbols condense and "summarize" the complexities of political structures and practices; they link institutions and beliefs with emotions; they can help create a more cohesive political environment. People adapt themselves to these symbols, using them to advance their own goals.