Mercantilist Relationship Between the American Colonies...

Mercantilist Relationship between the American Colonies and the British Government Randi Roselle BE/HS 310-03 Professor W.M. Gorman February 13, 2012 Mercantilism is an economic policy and theory where the government has complete control of trade, both foreign and inside boundaries. This policy was dominant during the 16th, 17th, and late 18th centuries, it demanded a positive balance of trade between the countries it was involved with. There were many policies that were within the theory based upon mercantilism including, building a network of overseas colonies and forbidding them to trade with other nations, forbidding trade to be carried in foreign ships, export as a trade barrier using domestic goods and services competitive against†¦show more content†¦It appeared that the break down of this mercantilist relationship between the United States colonies and Britain along with the split of America from the British Empire was unavoidable. Before the French and Indian war, Britain was having a hard time keeping up with and maintaining regulations that they had placed upon the colonies. The trade laws were inadequately implemented and the colonies were able to go about their own political and economic systems independently. But, with the close of the war Parliament concluded the time of this neglect of enforcement and became more dominate with the colonies in order to reestablish complete control over their trade. Pervious laws that were established to benefit Britain were enforced harshly and new laws were also applied to further benefit the British. This led to animosity between Britain and the colonies because the colonies experienced economic independence for too long a period causing the colonists to have no desire to return to how things used to be. The aggressive application of the Navigation Act to the colonists subdued their manufacturing operations and increased resentment against the British Parliamentary. Th e severe enforcement of these laws led to inflation and alienation in the colonies, neither of which benefited the British Empire. During this time of strict enforcement there were many more laws and acts placed upon the colonies to restrict their trade and growth.Show MoreRelatedEssay on The Inevitabilty of the American Revolution1720 Words   |  7 Pagessurprising manner, the settlers formed new colonies in the wilderness and these establishments grew and prospered. Before they had departed England, the colonists terms of freedom and their relation to the mother country were fully settled; they were to remain subject to the King and dependent on the kingdom of Great Britain. In return, they were to receive protection. They would also enjoy the rights and privileges of all free-born Englishmen. 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