I always thought two of the benefits of Bitcoin are:

Fast transactions
Low transaction fees

It seems, that thees points are outright Lies

If the blocksize limit isn't lifted and Bitcoin grows it will at one Point be virtually impossible to make transactions unless a ridiculous high transaction fee is paid.
I can't see how we can ask any merchant to accept Bitcoin, if it is clear that, unless Bitcoin remain a sideline payment system, at some point it will be impossible to accept Bitcoin for small payments.

So learning that changing the blocksize limit would require a hardfork gets me very concerned.

Also, I strongly disagree, that the 1MB blocksize limit is one of the principals of Bitcoin.

IMO it's scarcity of transaction space.

Therefore my Proposal:

Make the max blocksize a mathematical Function.

Lets say for example we set a Target, that the average Blocksize is always 80% of max. Blocksize and adjust the max. Blocksize by max. +-20% all 2016 Blocks to meet this Target.

This would ensure that Blockchain space always remains scarce, therefore ensuring TX fees for fast transaction, by at the same time ensuring that it will always be possible to make a transaction.

I'm looking forward to learn why this wouldn't work.