When a person gets sued by like a major corporation or a big organisation like the RIAA, what stops the person from going to court himself if he feels he had enough evidence to prove his case without paying for high-priced lawyers?

Also I assume the state doesn't provide you with a lawyer in civil suits right? Which seems that if its true, that if the poor/middle class man was sued by a rich man for whatever reason, the rich man will win because the poor man will just settle because he cant afford the defense lawayer.