Nonimportation Agreement

Definition

A Nonimportation Agreement is a pact made by traders not to import goods from specific countries or during certain periods. In this context, it refers to agreements made by colonial merchants not to import or sell goods from Britain as a form of protest against taxes.

Analogy

Imagine if your favorite band did something you didn't like, so you and your friends decide not to buy their merchandise or concert tickets until they change their behavior. That's essentially what these colonial merchants did with British goods.

Related terms

Boycott: A boycott is an act of voluntary abstention from using, buying, or dealing with someone or some organization as an expression of protest.

Townshend Acts: These were series of acts passed by the Parliament of Great Britain relating mainly to the British colonies in America; they are named after Charles Townshend, who sponsored them.

Mercantilism: This is an economic theory that trade generates wealth and is stimulated by the accumulation of profitable balances, which a government should encourage by means of protectionism.