There was an essay sometime ago in Analog Magazine (in their fact side)Which analyzed the situation and concluded that societies may have only limited windows of opportunity before competing interests make space too expensive. The implication is that this a universal economic
problem, and is responsible for explaining why we are not
visited by aliens capable of doing more than swirling grass.

When I think about the economy of scale required for a
serious space exploration/industrialization effort, I can
see a lot of merit in the pessimist's view.

But I also believe this:
Space is the most unforgiving, difficult and dangerous
environment we have yet entered. If we who are pro-space
and pro-future can't out compete against a bunch of welfare pimps
and political hacks, then maybe we aren't tough enough to
succeed out there, either.
Frontiers are explored and claimed by unrelenting SOBs,
willing to completely do what is required to get there.
Why should space demand less of us?
The hamstringing of space finance by the UN treaty
preventing ownership is a prime example of how we need to fight for space. The prohibition on space manufactured goods unless preapproved by government is another.
The true economic benefits of space are apparent to
anyone who honestly reviews the facts.
These benefits have been achived by our simply wading
along the shore, so to speak.
The benefits to everyone on earth from a serious space enterprise will be well, astronomical.
We may not get out there, and we may fail if we do, but we
owe it to our dreams and to the future to at least fight
for it.
Ed