Irving Babbitt (1865–1933) was a prominent American academic, cultural critic, and the leading figure behind the intellectual movement known as the New Humanism. Active primarily during the early twentieth century, Babbitt sought to revitalize classical humanism as a counterweight to what he perceived as the destabilizing forces of modern romanticism and scientific naturalism. Drawing inspiration from the cultural criticism of Matthew Arnold, he advocated for moral self-restraint and a broad understanding of diverse religious and ethical traditions.\n\nThroughout his career, Babbitt was a fierce opponent of romanticism, particularly as exemplified by the philosophy of Jean-Jacques Rousseau, which he argued led to emotional excess and moral decay. Instead, Babbitt aligned his political and philosophical views with the classical traditions of Aristotle and the conservative principles of Edmund Burke. His work emphasized the necessity of personal discipline and ethical standards in maintaining a stable, democratic society.\n\nHis intellectual legacy is cemented by works such as Democracy and Leadership (1924), which remains a foundational text of American political conservatism. Through his teaching, writing, and leadership of the New Humanism movement between 1910 and 1930, Babbitt exerted a profound and lasting influence on American literary criticism and conservative thought.
