Salutary Neglect: 1607-1763
Salutary neglect was an undocumented, though longstanding British policy of avoiding strict enforcement of
parliamentary laws, meant to keep the American
colonies obedient to Great Britain.
Prime Minister Robert Walpole stated that "If no
restrictions were placed on the colonies, they would
flourish.”
This policy allowed the enforcement of trade relations
laws to be lenient.
Salutary Neglect: 3 Phases
• 1607 to 1696: England had no coherent
imperial policy.
• 1696 to 1763: England tried to form a
coherent policy (Navigation Acts), but
either chose not to enforce it or were
unsuccessful.
• 1763 to 1775: Britain began to try to
use a coherent policy.
Mercantilism
• An economic theory, that holds that the power and
prosperity of a nation is dependent upon its supply of
capital
• The global volume of international trade is
"unchangeable“ and therefore, the ruling government
should advance its country’s wealth and power by
playing a protectionist role in the economy by
encouraging exports and discouraging imports, notably
through the use of subsidies and tariffs respectively.
Mercantilism
• Economic assets (or capital) are represented
by bullion (gold, silver, and trade value) held
by the state, which is best increased through a
positive balance of trade with other nations
(exports minus imports).
• Thought to be a form of economic
nationalism
• Dominated Western European economic
policies from the 16th to the late-18th
century.
Which choice best
represents mercantilism?
A. Colonies should exist for the benefit of the
mother country.
B. Local authority should determine the type of
goods to be produced.
C. Governments should not be involved in the
economy.
D. Business and industry should be owned by
the state.
Slave Trade
• Walpole did not believe in
enforcing the Navigation
Acts, established under
Oliver Cromwell and Charles
II and designed to force the
colonists to trade only with
England, Scotland and
Ireland, which were also
under Britain's control.
Successive British
governments ended this
policy through acts such as
the Stamp Act and the
Sugar Act causing tensions
within the colonies.