I think our Supreme Court said it best in the Théberge case. They described copyright as a balance, I think as you're describing it, between trying to get works out there--the dissemination of works--and the remuneration of artists who create those works. Ultimately what you're trying to do in copyright is balance those sometimes competing and sometimes contradictory--and sometimes in a vexing manner contradictory--interests for policy-makers.
I agree that there's a lot of opportunity, though, in getting that balance right for artists--and for everyone, for society.