- self-government in local matters by a city, province, state, colony, or the like.
- self-government, esp in domestic affairs
- the partial autonomy of cities and (in some states) counties, under which they manage their own affairs, with their own charters, etc, within the limits set by the state constitution and laws
- the partial autonomy sometimes granted to a national minority or a colony
- self-government for Ireland: the goal of the Irish Nationalists from about 1870 to 1920
