Patroon

Real World Example

A patroon was a Dutch landholder granted manorial rights to large areas in New Netherland, primarily in what is now New York. They played a significant role in the early colonization of North America by encouraging settlement and agriculture through offering land and protection to tenant farmers. Their efforts contributed to expanding European influence and fostering agricultural development, which was essential for sustaining colonies. Today, the patroon system's legacy is seen in large agricultural estates and the practice of land leasing, influencing modern real estate and farming practices. For example, community-supported agriculture (CSA) programs, where people buy shares of a farm's produce, reflect the patroon's model of pooling resources to support local farming efforts.