I am not saying “how ‘most’ civilizations have collapsed because of excessive welfare payments to the non-working poor.”
I am saying that “encouraging dependency, confiscating production, debasing the currency and the government reacting to the resultant ill-effects by insinuating itself even further into the economy” is what the article in the OP said brought down Classical Rome and threatens to bring down America and Western Civilization.
“systems were NEVER based on the idea of funneling funds to make the lives of the poor more endurable.”
That certainly was not the case in Rome, nor is it the case in collectivist West — including America. The social welfare state now and the dole system then was and is designed to mollify the poor and make sure that they were kept unable to take care of themselves. People who are able to see to their own needs have no need for social workers.
“As I assume you are aware, in the long run all governmental systems are unsustainable.”
All? A limited representative gov’t that has its legitimacy and authority based upon protecting freedom — rather than behavior modification/social engineering is eminently sustainable.
The founding of the United States of America showed the world that limited representative gov’t can work and ushered in the Industrial Revolution. Once it became possible to acquire economic success by effort rather than birth/cronyism, the creative power of the population was unleashed — to the benefit of all.
When I say all governmental systems are unsustainable in the long run, I’m talking about The Long Run.
I assume you would not expect the US Constitution to still be in effect in 10,000 years.
Even assuming we don’t kill ourselves off, governments are set up, as the Declaration basically says, to provide for the needs of the people and to protect their rights.
In a technologically advancing world, it is quite illogical to assume that an institution set up in the late 18th century will still be suited to human needs in the year 10,000. Or even the year 3000.
The Founders were pretty clear about their idea being to set up a government that would work for their society, with no claims that it was intended to last forever. There’s a shortage of Founder proclamations about Thousand Year Reichs.