Welcome back to the home of the oxymoron. Evil genius. He asked the newspaper to print his obituary early so he'd enjoy it. That's like hiding at your own funeral. Yeah, a big, great gig. I'm Russell Kane. Join me to weigh in on whether the biggest players in history are more evil or genius. Becoming that rich, I'd say that is some level of genius. It also helps that it's a long time ago, right?

It's like the podcast version of telling your kids the ice cream van plays music when it's out of ice cream.

Listen to evil genius on BBC sounds.

Hello, I'm Anne McHawoy.

Thanks for downloading this Arts and Ideas podcast from the BBC's free thinking team.

This is the BBC.

In 1942, William Beveridge published his report on how Britain should be rebuilt after the

devastation of World War II. His blueprint for a British universal care system, from the cradle

to the grave,

served as the foundation for the welfare state, put in place by Atley's Labour Government, elected in 1945.

When he wasn't designing a National Health Service around the principle of free medical treatment for all

and a system of benefits to provide what we now call social security.

Beveridge was a director of the London School of Economics and Political Science, where we

gather for this exploration of the role of the state. Some 75 years after the publication of his

report, free thinking is here at the LSE as part of their festival,

exploring what the state should look like now in an era of very different challenges and tensions

to the mid-20th century. Joining me on stage are five thinkers and doers, all well placed to

offer their vision of what the modern state should do

and what it shouldn't. David Willits served as Conservative Minister, now appear and executive

chair of the Resolution Foundation. He's written The Pinch, a book on intergenerational inequality.

He's also waded often into debate on the future of universities. Polly

Toynbee is a Guardian columnist and co-author of a recent book, Dismembered, how the attack on the

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