Salutary Neglect Definition

The Meaning and Definition of Salutary Neglect Salutary Neglect was a long-standing British Policy in the 13 colonies which allowed the colonists to flout, or violate, the laws associated with trade. There were no effective enforcement agencies,and it was expensive to send British troops to America. The British policy of Salutary Neglect was not documented. The policy and era of Salutary Neglect lasted from the 1690's to the 1760's and benefited the colonists boosting their profits from trade.This “salutary neglect” contributed involuntarily to the increasing autonomy of colonial legal and legislative institutions, which ultimately led to American independence.
Due to the Britain’s salutary neglect policy, the colonies enjoyed a lot of freedom,
One of the earlier examples of self-government was the New England Confederation. Its primary purpose was for protection against the Indians, the French, and the Dutch that the busy English could not provide for them. Although a weak organization, the confederation was the first milestone towards a strong, independent government. The New Englanders were accustomed to this neglect, so they were struck hard when the Dominion of New England was created by royal authority. The dominion was aimed at providing English control over New England, but proved futile when the colonists got rebellious fervor from the Glorious Revolution and ran Edmund Andros out of royal office, showing England the extent of their self-government. The benefits of the neglect can further be seen in the fact that British government refused to pay the royal governors with their own expense and forced local legislatures to pay the salaries of their own governors. England’s lack of attention to its decision proved most useful to the
The Boston Tea Party affair followed which was as a result and in opposition to the Tea Act. The American Revolution and the Declaration of Independence was the inevitable conclusion to the laws and taxes imposed by the British on the American colonies - which had been fuelled by their attempt to end their policy of Salutary Neglect.
The British policy of Salutary Neglect was, most importantly, about the profits that could be made from the raw materials and products used for trade by the colonists in the 13 Colonies in exchange for goods from England. This led to the system of Triangular Trade across the Atlantic. Great Britain adhered to the philosophy of Mercantilism which came to mean that colonies existed for the good of the mother country.The seeds of revolution were sown when the British attempted to reverse their policy of Salutary Neglect. Which was britain's ultimate defeat in ever gaining control of the 13 colonies