Mr. Bennet understood that the easiest path to his family's salvation was through the inherited wealth of other men (Darcy and Bingly). While Bennet didn't do anything to secure his family's future through his own business endeavors, there isn't much evidence that Darcy or Bingly did either. Their wealth just appeared as the happenstance of their birth. I think that whatever likability Mr. Bennet has, it comes more from Donald Sutherland than from Jane Austen's character. I agree. As a father he was neglectful and aloof to most of what was going on.