With his political and intellectual nous, Mr Strauss-Kahn keenly understood the power of political symbolism, ensuring that gestures to the left such as the 35-hour week also served his ends: improving industrial relations, and boosting consumer confidence.

ECONOMIST: France��s subtle loss

All of which is very good for the social side of agriculture - boosting employment (in the same way that artisanal fishing provides more jobs than the industrial kind), promoting local ownership of land and, in the poorest countries, mitigating against land-grabs.

BBC: Food: Organic growth?

As well as boosting the wealth of a number of Welsh families, researchers believe the slave trade was important in the industrial development of Wales.

BBC: NEWS | UK | Wales | Cash call for 'slavery's legacy'