The concept of local governments emerged in 18th and 19th centuries

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Modern system of local government emerged in the 18^th and 19^th centuries. Their units were the administrative units of former monarchies which were being transformed into modern nation-states. In the 20^th century two new types of local political systems developed, both resulting from major political upheavals. The Soviet system of local government, based on the unification of the representative and the executive functions and also on the leadership of Communist party on all levels of government, was first introduced in the USSR and then adopted in several other Socialist states. In the newly independent states of Asia and Africa, various forms of governments emerged, based on the adaptation of the administrative structure of former metropolitan countries, as well as on the pre-colonial local political institutions.

Because of the diversity of existing pattern of local government, it is difficult to find a common definition for all forms of the local politics. Countries differ in the extent to which local politics are autonomous in relation to the national government, in the degree to which local government controls economic and other aspects of life, within the territorial limits of its jurisdiction, in the internal organization of the local politics, the size of local subdivisions and so on. Nevertheless the basic characteristic of local politics is that it consists of political activities (1) conducted within territorially delimited units of sub-national administration and (2) directed at meeting the needs of such communities.