Final answer:
Salutary neglect was a policy of lax control and minimal enforcement of the Navigation Acts in the American colonies during the 18th century. It was practiced by England due to the beliefs of Prime Minister Robert Walpole, who believed that commerce thrived best when it was not burdened with restrictions.
Step-by-step explanation:
Salutary neglect was a policy practiced by England in the American colonies during the 18th century. It was a policy of lax control and minimal enforcement of the Navigation Acts, which restricted trade between the colonies and other countries. This policy was due to the beliefs of Prime Minister Robert Walpole, who believed that commerce thrived best when it was not burdened with restrictions. The term 'salutary neglect' was coined by Edmund Burke in 1775 as a reference to this period of lenient control over the colonies.