Habitats: healthy trees and dying trees

In the forest, there are healthy trees and dying trees. Trees are habitats for other organisms, such as fungus and birds. A healthy tree has few debris. A dying tree, on the other hand, provides a lot more nutrients. Many more organisms can live off a dying tree than a healthy tree. 

Similarly a dying society can provide a lot more resources than a healthy society over a short period of time. In a healthy society, there are few drug addicts. There won't be many opportunities for social workers, physicians, academics and other professional helpers. To maintain their career opportunities, the professional helpers have to work very hard to create and maintain numerous physically and mentally ill. This is why when a society gets very sick, it is so difficult to recover.