地方自治係今日民主政治中典型的自治體系的政治制度，此一自治涉及一定的區域的人且基於國家授權或依據國家法令，在國家的監督之下的法人團體，同時以地方之人及地方之財處理該區域內公共事務者。中國自周天子一統天下後，天子對其統治天下採取分封自治的型態治理，雖無自治之名但卻有自治之實。然，此一封國的「地方自治」卻不同於今日的民主政治的地方自治，更精確地言應是地方自主的自治。換言之，周代的各封國只需盡朝王納貢的義務外，其餘封國政務各憑己意處理。這也就構成了中國「治以不治」的「地方自治」的治理體系。漢高祖劉邦「與天下之豪士賢大夫共定天下，同安輯之」，不得不「有功者上致之王，次為列侯」的措施。但，隨著局勢之變化，此一郡國分治的「自治」現象，也依情勢變化而有所不同類型。然，為何《越嶠書》言：「治以不治，王者之師。」是否意指「不治治之」有不同的類型？反之，「不治治之」是否是達到「王者之師」的「治之」？另，「治之」與「不治治之」是否如顧祖禹所言：「不變之體，而為至變之用。」此為本文撰寫的問題意識所在。本文之目的係藉由「地方自治」類型的分析論理，藉此文論理說明，中國中央與地方的治權區分，即「治之」的直接統治管理，及「不治治之」的間接統治治理。誠如《越嶠書》所言：「治夷狄不得不略，略者何？喻之以義之謂也。」易言之，欲「治」夷狄須施「以不治治之」始能達到治理效果。

Local Self-government is a democracy of political system in theory. As far as local self-government is concerned particular area and people, according to law or authority of State to govern. Under State supervision, Local self-government will be management local business by local people and finance. Cho T'ien-tzn unified China in theory. Son of Heaven didn't govern all territory of all-under-Heaven. The domestic govern directly, other are non-ruling government in fact. This is manifested 〞non-ruling government theory〞of 〞China World Order Principle〞. The essay pointed to non-ruling government of theory and practice. Non-ruling government is different from Local Self-government basically. Simply Local Self-government came from democratic system, non-ruling government authorization from Son of Heaven. In other word, non-ruling government is Local Self-government of China way. The non-ruling government present self-reliant of China's tributary kingdom. China gave a highly flexible right to tributary kingdom of self-reliant governed. Tributary ruler pays tribute to China empire king for dealing with each other affair. China empire king could recognize independent whenever and wherever she judged it necessary because the Chinese emperor was responsible for all the peoples under Heaven. Therefore the tributary ruler could govern by his intention without China emperor permission. This is discourse of 〞non-ruling government theory〞 in short.