The problem to solve with civilised societies often comes down to this question:
How might we design programs that fairly distribute resources but don't end up incentivising everyone to rely on these programs solely for resources?
For me, that requires a left wing and right wing synthesis, but not a swinging pendulum between the two back and forth, election after election!
So if what we read below sounds like it's not changed much for over 2000 years, then we'd want to change, right?
The masses continue with an appetite for benefits and the habit of receiving them by way of a rule of force and violence. The people, having grown accustomed to feed at the expense of others and to depend for their livelihood on the property of others... institute the rule of violence; and now uniting their forces massacre, banish, and plunder, until they degenerate again into perfect savages and find once more a master and monarch.
Polybius (circa 150 BC)