Salutary Neglect
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The British policy of salutary neglect provided the colonies with valuable experience at self-government. The British policy of 'healthy' neglect was implemented to aid Britain's mercantilist ambitions. Instead of bossing the colonies around, Britain wanted to encourage the growth of trade. Salutary neglect influenced, immensely, the colonial development of strong, legislative assemblies, great commerce, and religion.
The deficiency of a strong imperial hand allowed the colonies to establish powerful legislative assemblies. The colonies, in theory, were to be governed by royal figures, but the burgeoning sense of freedom was making those elected figures weak. The British officials protested against the increasingly powerful assemblies, however, the British government was focused on bulking up their bullion rather than keeping strict control on the colonies. The assemblies of Massachusetts, New Jersey, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania demonstrated their vigor by refusing to pay their governors any salary for numerous years. The power of the 'purse string' prevailed. Yet the assemblies kept some British customs, such as having men of established wealth run for office...