1. (n.) The act of governing one's self, or the state of being governed by one's self; self-control; self-command.

2. (n.) Hence, government of a community, state, or nation by the joint action of the mass of people constituting such a civil body; also, the state of being so governed; democratic government; democracy.

Declaration of Independence absolute monarchy aplomb aristocracy autarchy autarky autocracy automatic control automation automatism automatization autonomy coalition government colonialism commonwealth composure constitutional government constitutional monarchy constraint control democracy dictatorship discipline dominion rule duarchy duumvirate dyarchy federal government federation feudal system freedom garrison state gerontocracy heteronomy hierarchy hierocracy home rule independence individualism inner-direction internationalism internationality limited monarchy martial law meritocracy militarism military government mob rule mobocracy monarchy nationalism nationality nationhood neocolonialism ochlocracy oligarchy pantisocracy patriarchate patriarchy peoplehood police state possession pure democracy regency representative democracy representative government republic restraint rugged individualism self-action self-activity self-command self-conquest self-containment self-control self-denial self-determination self-direction self-discipline self-mastery self-motion self-possession self-propulsion self-regulation self-reliance self-restraint self-sufficiency social democracy sovereign nationhood sovereignty statehood stratocracy technocracy thearchy theocracy totalitarian government totalitarian regime triarchy triumvirate tyranny welfare state willpower