Miles nodded. "I have to say, my wife probably handles more of the day-to-day stuff than I did, or my father before me. But, yes, if the conservative factions wouldn't collectively have a heart attack if we tried it, democracy would be an option." Technically speaking, they were slowly building the steps to 'constitutional monarchy', and as far as Miles was concerned, most of the towns and villages in his district were fine with self-government -- Vorkosigan's District was still a pretty rural place, even if his family was bringing the backcountry out of the middle ages as much as one could.