Since the colonies belonged to them, they were justified in all of them. The colonists didn't mind the taxes, they minded that they didn't get any say.
Parliament was justified in imposing taxes on the colonists primarily to help cover the costs of the French and Indian War, which had significantly increased Britain's debt. Additionally, taxes such as the Stamp Act and Townshend Acts were seen as a means to regulate trade and assert British authority. However, the lack of colonial representation in Parliament led to widespread resentment and the rallying cry of "no taxation without representation." Ultimately, this tension contributed to the colonies' push for independence.
legal authority to regulate the trade of Great Britain, and all her colonies
According to Dickinson, Parliament was justified in imposing taxes that were intended to regulate trade and ensure compliance with British law, such as duties on imported goods. However, he argued that direct taxes levied for revenue purposes, without colonial representation in Parliament, were unjust. Dickinson emphasized that taxation without representation violated the rights of the colonies and contradicted the principles of self-governance. Ultimately, he believed that while some regulation was acceptable, any tax aimed at raising revenue required the consent of the governed.
PARLIAMENT
To get tax revenue.
They were oppressing taxes on the colonies, and it was causing the colonies money.
"No taxation without representation!"
The Parliament sought to create new taxes in the colonies primarily to address the financial burdens incurred during the French and Indian War, which had significantly increased Britain's national debt. They believed that the colonies, benefiting from British protection and trade, should contribute to the costs of their governance and defense. Additionally, imposing taxes was seen as a way to assert British authority over the colonies and maintain control. This led to widespread resentment and resistance among colonists, who argued against taxation without representation.
England used the concept of virtual representation to argue that the interests of the American colonists were adequately represented in Parliament, even though they did not have direct representatives. This theory posited that all members of Parliament represented the entire empire, including the colonies, regardless of whether colonists could vote for them. Consequently, the British government believed that it was justified in imposing taxes and laws on the colonies without their consent, claiming that their needs were considered through this broader representation. This rationale ultimately fueled colonial discontent and the demand for direct representation.
Daniel Dulany has written: 'Considerations on the propriety of imposing taxes in the British colonies' -- subject(s): Administration, Causes, Colonies, Great Britain, History, Politics and government, Taxation 'Considerations on the propriety of imposing taxes in the British colonies, for the purpose of ..' 'Maryland and the Empire, 1773' -- subject(s): Constitutional history, Politics and government, Sources
The British Parliament were imposing very high taxes on all products that were being shipped to the colonies. The colonists had no way to voice their objections within the British government because there was no one to represent them. This caused the colonists to increase their desire to gain their independence.
British Parliament and King George III