'self-governance' originates from the combination of 'self,' meaning 'one's own,' and 'governance,' derived from the Latin 'gubernare,' meaning 'to steer or rule.'

'self-governance' evolved from the concept of 'self-government,' which was used in the 17th century to describe the ability of a community to govern itself.

Initially, it meant 'the act of governing oneself,' and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.