“Self-government must begin with internal. External will follow”
The power is with the people, but most of the time, the citizens transfer this power to elected representatives based on the consensus to serve the interest of the citizens and act on behalf of the citizens. Self-government is defined as a system of government where people direct their own affairs and is free from external authority. Therefore, self-government is a system where small political authority rules and control themselves.
The term self-governing indicates individuals’ ability to exercise control over themselves. The urge to do the right thing at the right time and consciously choose and hold on productive principles that bring and hold people are some of the important elements of self-government. Individuals’ characteristics and behavior should meet the minimum standards and must unite people to live with one another as peaceful as possible. Therefore, self-government simply means most decisions are made by the citizens.
The term self-government traces its origin in 1619 and 1777s when the struggle of independence among the citizens. Most of the decisions made with regards to self-government mean the government attaining political independence (becoming a free nation and does not depend on another country to make a key decision on matters of national concern). For instance, In the past, the US was colonized by Great Britain, and most of the crucial decisions that affect the life of the citizens were not made in the US but in Great Britain and forced upon people to comply.
For a particular section of the society to be considered a self-governing, the citizens should demonstrate a high moral and disciplined characteristics that allow them to be governed with limited government.