Taxed & Taken

Politicians love to celebrate GDP growth.But GDP measures total spending — not prosperity.It can rise because of debt, government expansion, money printing, or population growth — even while wages stagnate and living costs climb.In this episode, we break down:* Why GDP is easy to manipulate* Why GDP per capita matters more* How growth can make a country bigger — but its people poorer* The key metrics you should watch insteadBecause you don’t live in the total economy.You live in your share of it. Get full access to Taxed & Taken: Money, Power & Freedom from the State at patelankeet.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to Taxed & Taken: The State’s Share and Why Money and Freedom Matters.Let me ask you a question.If I told you there was an investment that:* Pays you less than the real cost of living* Quietly erodes your purchasing power every year* Funds a system that depends on your silence* And is marketed as “safe”Would you buy it?Because millions of people do.It’s called a government bond.Most people think bonds are the boring part of finance — the responsible part.The “adult in the room.”The thing that’s “backed by the full faith and credit of the government.”But here’s the uncomfortable truth:When you buy a government bond, you’re not investing in growth.You’re lending money to the biggest debtor on Earth — the state.And here’s the twist most people never think about:That same state also decides how inflation is measured.Which means the borrower controls the scoreboard.It decides whether you’re “earning” 3%…or losing 5% in real terms.So today we’re going to pull this apart properly:* What bonds actually are* Why governments desperately need you to hold them* Why banks and pension funds are forced into them* And why the so-called “safe asset” might be one of the most efficient wealth transfer mechanisms ever designedThis isn’t about volatility.It’s about control.It’s about purchasing power.And it’s about whether your savings are really working for you……or quietly funding the system that’s diluting them. Get full access to Taxed & Taken: Money, Power & Freedom from the State at patelankeet.substack.com/subscribe

Imagine a world where everything got cheaper — food, energy, housing — and your money bought more every year.Sounds like progress, right?So why do governments and central banks treat deflation like an economic apocalypse?Because they don’t fear inflation.They fear deflation.Deflation doesn’t mean collapse. It simply means prices fall — often because productivity rises and technology improves.We’ve already lived through it:TVs got cheaper. Smartphones got better. Computers improved.Those industries didn’t collapse.They thrived.So what’s the real problem?Deflation breaks the system.A system built on:* permanent debt* endless promises* and money that must lose value to functionInflation quietly reduces government debt.Deflation forces governments to face limits.And governments hate limits.Here’s the truth they’ll never say out loud:When central banks say inflation is “necessary”…what they really mean is:Your savings must lose value so the system survives.🎙 Episode 10 is live now.Tap to listen — and let me know your thoughts in the comments.Stay informed. Stay independent. Stay free. Get full access to Taxed & Taken: Money, Power & Freedom from the State at patelankeet.substack.com/subscribe

Most people think inflation means prices going up.It doesn’t.Inflation is the decline in the value of money — and rising prices are just the symptom.Episode 9 – Protecting Your Sav…In this episode of Taxed & Taken, I explain why fiat currency is a broken measuring stick, why saving in pounds, dollars, or euros guarantees you lose purchasing power over time, and why gold and silver have historically been the most reliable stores of wealth.We also look at what happens when you stop measuring the world in fiat and start measuring it in gold — including stocks, house prices, and wages — and why this helps explain why life feels harder, homes feel unaffordable, and retirement feels further away than ever.Finally, I break down the three main ways people actually buy and hold gold and silver today:* physical coins* vaulted bullion* gold and silver inside an ISA Get full access to Taxed & Taken: Money, Power & Freedom from the State at patelankeet.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of Taxed & Taken, we examine why modern money no longer holds its value — and how inflation quietly erodes savings, wages, and economic freedom.We break down how today’s fiat currency system allows governments to spend without immediate taxation, pushing the real cost onto ordinary people through higher prices and weaker purchasing power. Using historical examples and real-world consequences, the episode explains what sound money is, why it mattered for most of human history, and how unsound money reshapes behaviour by discouraging saving and rewarding debt.This episode also marks the conclusion of the podcast’s first eight-part foundation, setting the stage for future discussions on government policy, investing, and the growing risks posed by Central Bank Digital Currencies. Get full access to Taxed & Taken: Money, Power & Freedom from the State at patelankeet.substack.com/subscribe

On August 15th, 1971, something fundamental changed — and most people never noticed.In a short Sunday night television address, President Richard Nixon quietly severed the final link between the U.S. dollar and gold. There was no vote. No public debate. No warning. Just a promise that “your dollar will be worth just as much tomorrow as it is today.”It wasn’t.That moment didn’t just change American policy. It rewrote the global monetary system. Money stopped being a claim on something real and became a promise enforced by the state. Gold — the anchor that had restrained governments for centuries — was replaced by fiat currency, backed by nothing more than confidence and coercion.In this episode, we trace how that single decision reshaped everything that followed.We start with the world after World War Two, the trauma of the Treaty of Versailles, and why global leaders feared another economic collapse more than anything else. We explain how Bretton Woods was designed to stabilise trade, why the dollar became “as good as gold,” and how that system quietly handed the United States an extraordinary privilege.Then we walk through the breaking point. Vietnam. Welfare expansion. Deficits. Dollar printing. Foreign governments demanding gold. And finally, the moment the warehouse doors were shut and the string was cut.From there, we explore the consequences.Why inflation became permanent instead of temporary.Why prices never come back down.Why wages chase costs but never catch up.Why housing, assets, and debt exploded.Why the dollar’s role as the world’s reserve currency exported instability to the rest of the globe.And why foreign countries — forced to borrow in a currency they can’t control — repeatedly cycle through booms, busts, banking crises, and inflation.This episode isn’t about conspiracy. It’s about incentives. Systems. And unintended consequences that became permanent features.If you’ve ever wondered why your money feels weaker every year, why saving feels pointless, or why governments always seem able to spend without restraint — this is the break that explains it.Because once money was untethered from reality, there was only one direction it could go.Up. Get full access to Taxed & Taken: Money, Power & Freedom from the State at patelankeet.substack.com/subscribe

Why does life feel manageable… and then suddenly everything gets harder?Prices rise.Mortgage and rent payments jump.Jobs feel less secure.Savings don’t stretch as far.And every time, we’re told the same thing:“That’s just the economy.”“No one could have seen it coming.”In this episode of Taxed & Taken, we explain why that story doesn’t hold up.Booms and busts are not random. They are not natural disasters. And they are not failures of free markets. They are the predictable result of governments and central banks manipulating money — especially interest rates, the price we all pay to borrow.When borrowing is made artificially cheap, it creates an illusion of prosperity. Businesses overexpand. Households take on more debt. Asset prices soar. Everything feels fine — until reality catches up.Then the crash comes. And when it does, it isn’t bankers or politicians who feel it first. It’s ordinary people.Using clear, real-world examples — from Ancient Rome to the dot-com bubble, the 2008 housing crash, and the post-COVID cost-of-living crisis — this episode breaks down:* how “good times” are created by cheap money* why those booms always turn into busts* who really benefits from the cycle* and why ordinary people keep paying the priceMost importantly, this episode shows that once you understand the business cycle, the economy stops feeling chaotic — and starts to make sense.Because when you can see the pattern, you’re no longer helpless inside it. Get full access to Taxed & Taken: Money, Power & Freedom from the State at patelankeet.substack.com/subscribe

Inflation isn’t just rising prices — it’s a hidden tax.You never see it deducted from your payslip.You never vote for it.But you pay it every single day.In this episode of Taxed & Taken, we expose inflation for what it really is: a silent transfer of wealth from ordinary people to governments, banks, and those closest to the money printer.You’ll learn:* Why inflation isn’t an accident — but a policy* How money is created out of thin air and quietly diluted* Who wins and who loses when prices rise* Why wages never keep up, savings fall behind, and pensions lose their power* How inflation creates the illusion of prosperity while making society poorer* The dangerous path from inflation to panic, control, and loss of freedomFrom the cost-of-living crisis to housing bubbles and shrinking savings, inflation explains why life feels harder even when politicians claim the economy is “growing”.Once you understand inflation, you’ll never look at prices — or government promises — the same way again.🎧 Listen now and learn how the hidden tax really works. Get full access to Taxed & Taken: Money, Power & Freedom from the State at patelankeet.substack.com/subscribe

Money was never meant to be a political tool.Before central banks, banks that took reckless risks failed. Depositors punished bad behaviour. Governments were constrained by what they could tax or borrow honestly.Central banking changed all of that.In this episode of Taxed & Taken, we expose how central banks became the engine of permanent inflation — and how money creation by decree turned inflation into a hidden tax on ordinary people.We explore:• Why governments and banks needed a lender of last resort• The creation of the Bank of England and the birth of central banking• How central banks create money through credit and bond purchases• Why bailouts privatise profits and socialise losses• How inflation quietly transfers wealth from savers to governments• Historical examples from Britain, the United States, and modern crisesFrom World War I to COVID, the pattern is always the same:short-term relief, long-term inflation.Central banking didn’t remove instability — it institutionalised it.In the next episode, we take the mask off inflation itself and show why it is the most powerful political weapon ever created.If you found value in this episode, like it, subscribe, and share it — because the more people see the truth, the harder it is for the system to hide.And if you’re getting real value from the podcast and want to support it, I’ve set up a £5-a-month supporter tier on Substack.Until next time —stay informed,stay independent,and stay free. Get full access to Taxed & Taken: Money, Power & Freedom from the State at patelankeet.substack.com/subscribe

Money didn’t start as a tool of government — it was created by people through trade, trust, and voluntary exchange.In this episode of Taxed & Taken, we explore the moment everything changed.Once rulers seized control of money, they discovered a quieter way to fund wars, debt, and power — not just through taxes, but by manipulating the currency itself.This episode covers:• How goldsmiths became bankers• Why warehouse receipts replaced physical gold• How fractional reserve banking emerged• Why issuing money backed by nothing is effectively legalised counterfeiting• Historical examples from Rome, Tudor England, and early America• Bank runs, financial crises, and the illusion of prosperity• Why modern banking depends on trust — and what happens when that trust breaksFrom Northern Rock to Silicon Valley Bank, the same pattern repeats: promises created out of thin air, followed by collapse, bailouts, and inflation.In the next episode, we move to the final stage — central banking — and how governments and banks combined to build the most powerful inflation machine in history.If you found value in this episode, like it, subscribe, and share it —because the more people see the truth, the harder it is for the system to hide.And if you’re getting real value from the podcast and want to support it,I’ve set up a £5-a-month supporter tier on Substack.Until next time —stay informed,stay independent,and stay free. Get full access to Taxed & Taken: Money, Power & Freedom from the State at patelankeet.substack.com/subscribe

Money didn’t start as a tool of government — it was created by people, through trade, trust, and voluntary exchange.In this episode of Taxed & Taken, we explore the moment everything changed.Once rulers seized control of money, they discovered they could fund wars, debt, and power not just through taxes — but by quietly hollowing out the currency itself.This episode covers:* How governments monopolised money by controlling the mint* Why debasement was effectively legalised counterfeiting* Historical examples from Rome, Tudor England, France, and early America* Gresham’s Law: why bad money always drives out good* How inflation acts as a hidden tax on ordinary peopleUnderstanding how governments first corrupted money is essential to understanding inflation, central banking, and the loss of economic freedom today.Next episode: the rise of banks, fractional reserves, and the illusion of money created out of nothing.If you found value in this episode, like, subscribe, and share it — because the more people see the truth, the harder it is for the system to hide.And if you want to support the podcast, there’s a £5/month supporter tier on Substack with ad-free episodes and bonus content.Until next time —stay informed, stay independent, and stay free. Get full access to Taxed & Taken: Money, Power & Freedom from the State at patelankeet.substack.com/subscribe

Episode 1 — The Birth of Money: From Barter to Gold & SilverMoney didn’t begin with governments, central banks, or paper notes.In this first episode of What Has the Government Done to Our Money?, we go back to the beginning — from barter and its limitations to the rise of gold and silver as sound money, chosen freely by people across civilizations.Understanding how money started is the key to understanding how it was later corrupted — and why your freedom depends on it. Get full access to Taxed & Taken: Money, Power & Freedom from the State at patelankeet.substack.com/subscribe