The object and the subject of the territorial selfgovernment’s activity

The territorial self-government can be defined by the basic elements comprising its essence, and thus the object of its action, the subject, the way of management and financing. In the article the two first elements are described. The conducted theoretical considerations concern first of all the economic approach to the problems of self-government. Besides that the theories of other social sciences are presented.
Such a connection shows the complexity of the problems of territorial self-government and at the same time it may explain the differentiation of its structure in the practice of particular countries.