British North American colonies were more often than not administered on the basis of “indirect rule” from London. As such, the colonies were largely self-governed and answered to charter holders and company owners rather than the British Crown. Laws and taxes passed in the homeland by Parliament were made exceedingly more lenient when applied to the colonies, and some were not even enforced at all.

In the United States, such a relationship between the former Thirteen Colonies and Great Britain is known as salutary neglect (salutary meaning “benevelont”). It is generally accepted by contemporary historians that this practice of neglect stemming from indirect rule was intentional, as British authorities sought to reduce the administration costs associated with running a colony directly.

Salutary negelct and self-governance were two of the key concepts that allowed the colonies to develop on their own, free from intervention by the Crown. Indeed, colonists became accustomed to the idea of “self-determination” and the practices (along with British democratic tradition) are usually associated with the birth of American democratic ideals.