The compulsion to prostrate oneself before elites who have the ability to determine who gets a basic need and who doesn't indicates a lack of freedom, at least for those whose needs become objects of exploitation.
Understand and agree. How does that alter that people demand fiscal responsibility from their government? And what circumstances (historical or hypothetical) do people demand the government deficit spend on FOOD?
This almost makes my point for me -- what people really want is both fiscal responsibility and the essentials to be taken care of.
Of course one assumes that the government is responsible to the people, something essential to democracy. A democratic government might not produce the food, fuel, and shelter... not that such is a good thing, as such implies a Marxist economy that stifles initiative except among True Believers.
Private ownership and operation of the means of production works for people other than capitalists only
(1) if the system is competitive in the marketplace for goods and workers, or
(2) the ownership class and executives are decent people.
Both are in question in America these days as they used not to be in question.