There is quite a bit of reading one can do if really interested about the early contact (whaling) time period.  One doesn't have to have lived through something to know about it.

There are also many examples of modern day failures of good stewardship.  The Kuskokwim being one example right now.  Fish, fish, fish!  That seems to be the only refrain from the tribal folks.  

It is illogical to think that an institution's ability to manage would be measured by the ancestors of those running it.

Anyway, most people would just say, for example "the state is a better manager than the feds" or vise versa.  The opinion is understood from context.