What was "salutary neglect"?

A) the aspect of the task system that involved little oversight of slaves
B) the requirement that colonial legislatures only meet when absolutely necessary
C) the failure to salute British officers as a punishable offense for colonists
D) the same thing that "child neglect" means today
E) the British government's policy of leaving the colonies largely to govern themselves

Salutary neglect was the British government's policy of leaving the colonies largely to govern themselves. This policy was implemented in the late 17th and early 18th centuries, and it allowed for the growth of self-government and autonomy in the colonies. The British government did not enforce many of its laws and regulations in the colonies, which allowed the colonists to develop their own institutions and systems of government. This policy was an important factor in the eventual development of the American Revolution, as it contributed to a sense of colonial identity and independence.