Society - Where To, and How?

I recently read an article by Cynthia Gorney about Cuba, in the November 2013 issue of National Geographic.  In describing the changes occurring in that society, she says -

"... the questions modern Cuba sets off in a visitor are big, serious, unwieldy.  What is the definition of freedom?  What do human beings need?  What do they owe to each other?  What do they want, beyond what they need?"

Big questions, indeed.  And it seems to me that these very same questions lie at the root of the conflicting narratives both about the current state of society in the United States, and the corresponding visions of the future.  

Should the government, which represents our collective society, have programs to improve access to health care?  Should there be "safety net" social programs?  If so, how extensive should they be?  Is there a way to provide assistance that doesn't create dependency?  If not, is it better to have some level of dependency in the society than to have policies that result in chronic hunger or untreated disease?

Is some level of wealth redistribution through taxation and social programs a good thing because it helps ensure some basic level of food and health security and educational opportunities that some would not otherwise have?  Or is it an evil, amounting to stealing from people who earn the wealth.

I don't think there is any right answer.  I do think that positions on either extreme are, well, just that -- and that the best we can hope to do as a society lies somewhere nearer to the middle than to the ends.

I would like our society to grapple with these questions in an open and respectful dialog, honestly identifying and acknowledging the tradeoffs and consequences, rather than having them buried underneath agendas of political power seeking.

Is it possible, in our political system, that we can stop rewarding bad behavior, and get a new generation of political leaders that can help us find our way to the balance of individual freedom and collective responsibility and accountability that serves us all the best?

If not, perhaps some fundamental reform in the system itself is needed.  If that is true, and the system is incapable of correcting its own dysfunction, than we are in for a very rocky future.