In this episode, we dive into No Taxation Without Consent, where Javed Bashir tackles the real cost of a democracy gone astray. In his book, Taxation Without Consent: The Price of a Failed Democracy, Bashir takes aim at the recent £40 billion tax increase imposed on the British public without their consent, calling it a glaring symptom of a deeper democratic failure in the UK. He argues that our representative system has strayed far from its foundational principles, becoming more about power consolidation than public service.
Bashir paints a vivid picture of a government that seems almost entitled to the people's wallets, bypassing public consultation and ignoring the consent of those it’s meant to serve. This detachment, he warns, risks pushing the public further away, sparking distrust, political apathy, and even a surge in populism as people seek alternatives to a system that feels rigged against them.
The real price, he claims, isn’t just financial. It’s the erosion of the social contract—the unwritten agreement that binds the government to the people in mutual respect and accountability. Bashir’s message is clear: taxation without consent risks dismantling the very fabric of democracy itself.
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