Copyright hasn’t benefitted creators in centuries, it’s for publishers who then gatekeep the money from the vast majority of creators.

But even then it was never really meant to be a “welfare system” for creators, but a way to incentivize creators to keep creating by allowing them a short term boost in income while they create the next thing. Create one popular thing and never have to create again as well as your kids and grandkids never having to contribute to society was never meant to be the point.