Final answer:
True, the English government established laws to govern the colonies but did not strongly enforce them, leading to periods of 'salutary neglect' and widespread smuggling.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question is asking if it is true or false that the English government established many laws to govern the colonies, but did not strongly enforce those laws. The answer is true.
The British government did establish numerous laws, such as the Navigation Acts, to regulate colonial trade and economic activities. However, due to policies of Prime Minister Robert Walpole and a lack of strict enforcement, there was a period of 'salutary neglect' where these laws were largely ignored by government officials and colonists evaded them through smuggling.