I'm open to that idea, although I was more thinking of small government most of the time. That is: bare means of living. Not like, struggling to survive, but the 'American dream' style of living.
But the idea of dividending societal progress could have some significant merit to it. But at the same time: I'm afraid of the risk that it could make globalism run amok. If you start cutting the people in on Empire, aren't you incentivising empire? I'm not convinced that that's the natural conclusion, but I believe in considering all risks.