I haven't thought enough about this, but perhaps cheap automation could lead to self-sufficiency of nations. Apart from rare resources (which could be recycled?) * , goods could be produced where they are needed. If a state is more or less self sufficient, it can create a bubble in which its citizens are provided for even if they don't work. Or am I missing something?
* This would probably look like the UDSSR or WW-II Germany, but without the downsides caused by ideology. Workers could concentrate on improving automation ever further.
The obvious downside would be that ideology would not die out, and nations would still strive to grow bigger > war.
If self-sufficiency per person is negligible, worse off can still mean blissful. Alternatively, in the deep future, there might be the annihilation of comparative advantage, somehow.
* This would probably look like the UDSSR or WW-II Germany, but without the downsides caused by ideology. Workers could concentrate on improving automation ever further. The obvious downside would be that ideology would not die out, and nations would still strive to grow bigger > war.