Salutary Neglect

Definition

Salutary neglect refers to the British policy of loosely governing the American colonies during the 17th and 18th centuries, allowing them to develop with minimal interference or enforcement of parliamentary laws. This approach enabled the colonies to establish a sense of self-governance and autonomy, laying the foundations for the American political tradition.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Salutary neglect allowed the American colonies to develop their own systems of government, economy, and society with minimal interference from the British.
2. The policy of salutary neglect contributed to the growth of colonial self-governance and a sense of political autonomy, setting the stage for the American Revolution.
3. Salutary neglect was a departure from the mercantilist economic policies that typically governed the relationship between the British Empire and its colonies.
4. The loosening of British control over the colonies through salutary neglect enabled the development of distinct colonial identities and a growing sense of independence.
5. The shift away from salutary neglect towards stricter imperial control in the 1760s, such as the implementation of the Stamp Act, was a key factor in the growing tensions that led to the American Revolution.

Review Questions

• Explain how the policy of salutary neglect contributed to the development of colonial self-governance and autonomy.
  • The policy of salutary neglect allowed the American colonies to govern themselves with minimal interference from the British government. This enabled the colonies to establish their own systems of government, economy, and society, fostering a sense of political autonomy and the growth of distinct colonial identities. The loosening of British control through salutary neglect set the stage for the colonies to eventually assert their independence and challenge the authority of the British Empire, leading to the American Revolution.
• Analyze the relationship between salutary neglect and the mercantilistic economic policies typically employed by the British Empire.
  • Salutary neglect represented a departure from the mercantilist economic policies that often governed the relationship between the British Empire and its colonies. Mercantilism involved the strict control of trade and colonial policies to accumulate wealth for the mother country. In contrast, salutary neglect allowed the American colonies to develop their own economic systems with minimal interference, enabling them to establish a greater degree of self-governance and autonomy. This shift away from mercantilist control towards a more hands-off approach contributed to the growing sense of colonial independence, which ultimately led to the American Revolution.
• Evaluate the long-term impact of the shift from salutary neglect to stricter imperial control in the 1760s, and how this contributed to the causes of the American Revolution.
  • The shift away from the policy of salutary neglect towards stricter imperial control in the 1760s, exemplified by the implementation of the Stamp Act, was a key factor in the growing tensions that led to the American Revolution. The loosening of British control over the colonies had enabled the development of distinct colonial identities and a growing sense of political autonomy. The sudden imposition of new taxes and tighter regulations by the British government was perceived by the colonists as a violation of their rights and a threat to their hard-won self-governance. This shift in colonial-imperial relations, away from the hands-off approach of salutary neglect, galvanized colonial resistance and fueled the growing desire for independence, ultimately culminating in the American Revolution.

Related terms

Colonial Autonomy: The ability of the American colonies to govern themselves with minimal interference from the British government, a key aspect of the salutary neglect policy.

Mercantilism:

An economic system in which the government seeks to regulate the economy for the purpose of accumulating wealth, often through strict control of trade and colonial policies, in contrast to the hands-off approach of salutary neglect.

British Empire: The global network of territories and colonies controlled by the United Kingdom, which included the American colonies and was impacted by the policy of salutary neglect.