What is "home rule"

Home \Home\, a.

1. Of or pertaining to one's dwelling or country; domestic; not foreign; as home manufactures; home comforts.

2. Close; personal; pointed; as, a home thrust.

3. (Games) In various games, the ultimate point aimed at in a progress; goal; as:

   1. (Baseball) The plate at which the batter stands; same as home base and home plate.

   2. (Lacrosse) The place of a player in front of an opponent's goal; also, the player.

      Home base or Home plate (Baseball), the base at which the batter stands when batting, and which is the last base to be reached in scoring a run.

      Home farm, grounds, etc., the farm, grounds, etc., adjacent to the residence of the owner.

      Home lot, an inclosed plot on which the owner's home stands. [U. S.]

      Home rule, rule or government of an appendent or dependent country, as to all local and internal legislation, by means of a governing power vested in the people within the country itself, in contradistinction to a government established by the dominant country; as, home rule in Ireland. Also used adjectively; as, home-rule members of Parliament.

      Home ruler, one who favors or advocates home rule.

      Home stretch (Sport.), that part of a race course between the last curve and the winning post.

      Home thrust, a well directed or effective thrust; one that wounds in a vital part; hence, in controversy, a personal attack.

1860, originally in reference to Ireland, from home (n.) + rule (n.).

n. The rule or government of an appendant or dependent country, as to some or all local and internal legislation, by means of a governing power vested in the people within the country itself, in contradistinction to a government established by the dominant country.

n. self-government in local matters by a city or county that is part of a national government

Home rule is the power of a constituent part ( administrative division) of a state to exercise such of the state's powers of governance within its own administrative area that have been decentralized to it by the central government.

In the United Kingdom, it traditionally referred to self-government, devolution or independence of its constituent nations—initially Ireland, and later Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. In the United States and other countries organised as federations of states, the term usually refers to the process and mechanisms of self-government as exercised by municipalities, counties, or other units of local government at the level below that of a federal state (e.g., US state, in which context see special legislation). It can also refer to the similar system under which Greenland and the Faroe Islands are associated with Denmark.

Home rule is not, however, comparable with federalism. Whereas states in a federal system of government (e.g., Canada, Federal Republic of Germany, Switzerland, Brazil, Ethiopia and the United States of America) have a guaranteed constitutional existence, a devolved home rule system of government is created by ordinary legislation and can be reformed, or even abolished, by repeal or amendment of that ordinary legislation.

A state legislature may, for example, create home rule for a county or parish (or its townships), so that a county commission or board of supervisors may have jurisdiction over its unincorporated areas, including important issues like zoning. (Without this, a US county is simply an extension of state government.) The legislature can also establish or eliminate municipal corporations, which have home rule within town or city limits through the city council. The state government could also abolish counties/townships, or their governments, according to the state constitution and state laws.