Economic Economics

I am always surprised by the constant desire for growth in economics, surprised because we clearly live in a finite world. Therefore growth in one area must be at the expense of another. Therefore a desire for growth is a desire for others to struggle.
From a Buddhist perspective I can see how growth is attractive, as it suggests change. Constant change is a method that Buddhism identifies as a way of hiding suffering, by constantly moving from one suffering to another we are less aware of the suffering, and can easily perceive the temporary relief from one form of suffering as happiness.
The trick that a Buddhist economist would have to pull off is slowly reduce the wealth of the richer people and nations and pass it to the poorer people and nations. So far, the only technique I can think of is dangling shiny things in front of the rich to distract them while their bank accounts are emptied. At least it worked with all the shiny gadgets I bought from China.

Another confusion in economics is the use of the term free trade, it is odd because virtually every advocate of free trade also advocates strong regulation in areas that benefit them. In fact without regulation the natural outcome of freetrade is monopoly, which is hardly free at all. My biggest concern about non-existent free trade movement is that it always insists on freerer movement for goods than it does for people. I can imagine that most of the problems of the third world could be solved by allowing free movement of people, because I am sure the panic caused in the west would create a huge investment overseas.