1. economic struggles
Those who may say that during the late early and mid 1700's, "Mercantilism was actually more favorable to the colonies than to Great Britain" are wrong and deserve a lesson in history. It is almost a assured fact that the English colonies in North America were created for the sole benefit of their mother country and that if there were no benefits of natural resources and expansion of an Empire or competition with rival nations then England would have withdraw their forces and interests. Considering this, England would create an economic system of mercantilism, which would favor Great Britain only and would hurt the colonies in developing their own.
During the 18th Century England had established an economic policy of mercantilism with its new Colonies. This policy was created in order for England to have a new source of income and wealth, which would enable it to grow as a world power. By the mid-1700's England had enacted several laws, which restricted all trading that the colonies made to be concentrated to England. These laws were enacted so that the colonies would have no profit from trade while securing England's control. Multiple acts of taxation and trading laws would be put into effect so that the colonists understood who was the boss. This was for the detriment of the colonies because it forced them to have only one source of income, since they could only trade with one nation, therefore they could not trade with any other nations which might have bought or sold goods at a better and more profitable price.
Mercantilism meant that the colonies had a greater export than import. This doomed the colonies by forcing them to produce more crops, lumber, sugar and other goods for a less than equal trade with England. The colonies basically got the short end of the stick on all trades. This clearly did not benefit the colonies but did give massive profit to England.
As it is now clearly seen, Mercantilism can profit only one party while damaging the others economic structure, and Great Britain in the 1700's was no exception.