this is interesting.
steemit inside out.
this would change steemits entering mechanisms recognizable.
on the one side this maybe could have some positive effects for refunding future content. and i can imagine it could had an effect for content quality managment.
(motivation throughout payment - spam gets expensive but maybe more serious, etc.)
But.
on the other side this would mean changing parts of steemits ideological backrounds.
the community could lose some content because of a more exclusive access.
and steemit wouldnt be finance barrier free anymore.
Free registration is one of the most notable facts about steemit.

This is would be a fascinating scenario.
I guess this could have effects in both directions but its hard to estimate the actual outcome.