That is how I generally view dating. I think, on some level, most people view it that way. It offends a lot of people to point it out, but the general expectation is that the man pays for dates and he hopes that it results in sex at some point.

Edit: people seem to be missing my point. I am female and I don't date. (http://micheleincalifornia.blogspot.com/2014/01/no-dating-re...) Stating that this is a logical interpretation of dating does not mean I condone it. (Yup, as stated elsewhere, I am for decriminalization of sex work.)

The time scale matters.

My expectation was sex, yes, but with marriage. I had no real desire to be a manslut, or whatever you'd call it. The risks and costs would not be worthwhile.

BTW, I mostly avoided paying. I didn't want to feel used.

FWIW, I would call that courtship, not dating.

I think a lot of people conflate intimacy and sex.

For me, paying for sex is not a big deal. Paying for intimacy is way more ickier to me than the former.

Many men have that understanding of dating. They desire intercourse, and only submit to courtship rituals because the law requires that. If prostitution were legal, they would hire those services instead of engaging in deception. As a result, as you prefer, no one would date such men.

I think most people would be happier with such an arrangement. That's partly why many societies avoid it. The puritanical impulse motivates all laws against prostitution.