Mentoring and class war

I caught a BBC Radio documentary on prominent families in British history, like the Carringtons and the Cecils; those who now either shape our future as MPs or Lords or who own great swathes of Britain. It was interesting to hear how many of the sons of these powerful families had mentors, friends of their father generally. These mentors encouraged the young men, offered them accommodation in foreign countries, introduced them to their networks and found them employment. This prompted three thoughts for me; that when a son grows up without a father he also grows up without all the benefits of knowing a group of men of his father's age with all their wisdom and practical experience, that mentoring has been with us forever, and that as usual it is the people who need it least who get the most help.