Self-sufficiency (also called self-containment) is the state of not requiring any aid, support, or interaction, for survival; it is therefore a type of personal or collective autonomy. On a national scale, a totally self-sufficient economy that does not trade with the outside world is called an autarky. The term self-sufficiency is usually applied...
• (n.) The quality or state of being self-sufficient.
Provision by one's self of all of one's own needs. In international trade this means either not trading at all (autarky), or importing only non-necessities.
The principle of consuming only those things produced by oneself or one's family. It is generally a stricter lifestyle than a sustainable lifestyle in that an effort is made to limit trade with others regardless of the sustainability of such trade.
Situation where an individual or group does not rely on outsiders. Economic self-sufficiency means that no trade takes place between the individual or group and others. If an economy were...
Self`-suf·fi'cien·cy noun The quality or state of being self-sufficient.