I understand the sentiment and agree with it, but I think you have the cause backwards.
It's not so much that lawyers win when people fight, the problem is lawyers.
It's that people fight. The problem is people.
And life is complicated, so when people fight, all of the simplification you desire - short contracts, arbitration, support for people to represent themselves - will very quickly succumb to the myriad of edge cases life will throw at it. So over time, you'll get complicated long contracts and complex procedural dispute resolution processes, requiring someone with specialised, deep knowledge of the process and precedents and who will advocate on your behalf, for a fee.
It's not so much that lawyers win when people fight, the problem is lawyers.
It's that people fight. The problem is people.
And life is complicated, so when people fight, all of the simplification you desire - short contracts, arbitration, support for people to represent themselves - will very quickly succumb to the myriad of edge cases life will throw at it. So over time, you'll get complicated long contracts and complex procedural dispute resolution processes, requiring someone with specialised, deep knowledge of the process and precedents and who will advocate on your behalf, for a fee.
You know, lawyers.
People fight. That's why lawyers win.