The most prosperous/productive period in the United States was after WW2 with the GI Bill to get folks in homes and college and we had a top tax rate of 90% which allowed us to build our superhighways and go to the Moon. And...surprise, the rich were STILL rich. Fast forward to the Age of Mass Automation and AI and the term "welfare" becomes obsolete as all manner of jobs are replaced by robots and AI agents who are better drivers, faster, tireless workers, smarter and work for no pay or benefits. Who pays for life then? It will all need to be rethought.