> The prevailing narrative is still that, for example, a social safety net stifles innovation.

A social safety net enables one to fail safely but that's only a benefit to those with enough drive to try in the first place. The upper & middle class is more likely to have that because of their upbringing but they are the ones who don't need the social safety net in the first place. What of the rest? What innovative use will they make of the social safety net?

There are other reasons to give everyone a social safety net but fostering innovation doesn't seem to be one of them, in my opinion.