in 1775 47% of the population was not suckling on the government teat
1775: 40 and 45 percent of the white population supported the Patriots’ cause, between 15 and 20% supported the Loyalists, and the remainder were neutral or kept a low profile
ex Robert M. Calhoon, “Loyalism and neutrality” in Jack P. Greene; J. R. Pole (2008). A Companion to the American Revolution. John Wiley & Sons. p. 235.