benign neglect

English

Etymology

Reportedly coined in 1969 by Daniel Patrick Moynihan, adviser to US President Richard Nixon, who recommended this policy with respect to the issue of US racial strife.

Noun

benign neglect (uncountable)

1. (set phrase, often politics or public policy) A policy or strategy of deliberately taking no action concerning an issue, challenging situation, or other problem in the belief that this course will ultimately result in the best outcome possible.
   • 1971 February 22, Karsten Prager, “The Cooling Of America: Right On Toward a New Black Pluralism”, in Time, retrieved 16 July 2014:

     So tranquil, so quiescent seems Black America in the Nixon Era that a presidential partisan could well argue that "benign neglect" has worked.

   • 2003 May 28, Larry Elliott, Charlotte Denny, “Strong euro causes weak smiles among Europe's policy gurus”, in The Guardian, UK, retrieved 16 July 2014:

     [T]he Japanese have been intervening to hold down the value of the yen, while Washington has been adopting a policy of benign neglect towards the dollar.

   • 2008 August 6, Ann Lovejoy, “Gardening: Camp can be a ball for houseplants”, in Seattle Post-Intelligencer, retrieved 16 July 2014:

     I deliberately choose houseplants that thrive on benign neglect.

   • 2014 April 19, Mark Oppenheimer, “Let Them Drink Chocolate”, in New York Times, retrieved 16 July 2014:

     As a parent, I think that it’s time to declare a period of benign neglect when it comes to food.

See also

• hands off
• laissez faire
• let nature take its course
• let sleeping dogs lie

References

• “benign neglect”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.