There is something pleasantly quant and old fashion about the term “stewardship”.

Images of Downton Abby (which I refused to watch, by the way) and Capability Jones are conjured up. The brilliance of 18th Century landscape design and Georgian Architecture display that calm confidence that speaks to the conceit of the English Aristocracy while stoking the common man’s romantic need to be dominated by a benevolent ruler.

In the British model, it was quite purposeful and shrewdly self serving. Land, always a limited commodity, can also be a very generous cash-cow, providing a large and steady return. It was prudent to maintain an investment such as this, as wisely as possible.

The system worked for many generations. Indeed, it was so successful, it became a burden to the British economy. The stewardship of the manor house was just another way of maintaining a stifling concentration of power and wealth. Up until the beginning of the First World War, approximately 80% of all English lands was held by less than 3000 families. By then, that it collapsed under its own weight.

On the bright side, it recognized the value of taking seriously one's responsibility to the land and to wisely provide for their distant offspring.

The only problem with this British model is, their definition of ‘offspring’ was too limited.