Herbert Croly

Herbert Croly was a prominent American journalist, writer, and political philosopher, best known as the founder of The New Republic magazine, which became a leading voice of Progressive Era thought, influencing notable figures such as Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, and Franklin D. Roosevelt. Croly's work was shaped by his interactions with prominent intellectuals, including William James, Charles Sanders Peirce, and John Dewey, at institutions like Harvard University and the University of Chicago. His writings often explored the intersection of American exceptionalism, liberalism, and social democracy, drawing on the ideas of Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Immanuel Kant, and Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel. As a key figure in the development of American liberalism, Croly's thought was also influenced by the Social Gospel movement, led by figures like Walter Rauschenbusch and Washington Gladden.

● Early Life and Education

Herbert Croly was born in New York City, New York, to a family of Unitarian intellectuals, and was raised in an environment that encouraged critical thinking and intellectual exploration, similar to the upbringing of other notable figures like Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau. He attended Harvard University, where he studied under the guidance of prominent scholars like William James and Josiah Royce, and was exposed to the ideas of Charles Darwin, Karl Marx, and Friedrich Nietzsche. During his time at Harvard, Croly developed a strong interest in philosophy, particularly the works of Plato, Aristotle, and Immanuel Kant, which would later influence his political thought, as seen in the writings of John Stuart Mill and Jeremy Bentham. After completing his education, Croly worked as a journalist, writing for publications like the New York Evening Post and the Architectural Record, which was founded by his father, Jane Cunningham Croly.

● Career

Croly's career as a journalist and writer spanned several decades, during which he contributed to various publications, including the Atlantic Monthly, The Nation, and the New York Times, where he worked alongside notable writers like Lincoln Steffens and Ida Tarbell. His writing often focused on issues related to politics, economics, and social reform, drawing on the ideas of Thorstein Veblen, John Maynard Keynes, and Vladimir Lenin. In 1914, Croly founded The New Republic magazine, which quickly became a leading voice of Progressive Era thought, influencing notable figures like Eleanor Roosevelt, Harry Hopkins, and Adolf Berle. The magazine's early contributors included prominent intellectuals like Walter Lippmann, Randolph Bourne, and John Reed, who were all associated with the American Socialist Party and the Industrial Workers of the World.

● The New Republic

As the founder and editor of The New Republic, Croly played a significant role in shaping the magazine's editorial direction and tone, which was characterized by its commitment to liberalism, social democracy, and American exceptionalism. The magazine's contributors included a diverse range of intellectuals, such as Reinhold Niebuhr, Lewis Mumford, and Edmund Wilson, who were all influenced by the ideas of Sigmund Freud, Albert Einstein, and Marxism. Under Croly's leadership, The New Republic became a platform for discussing and debating key issues of the time, including World War I, the Russian Revolution, and the Great Depression, which were all covered in the magazine's pages, alongside the thoughts of notable figures like Vladimir Lenin, Leon Trotsky, and Joseph Stalin. The magazine's influence extended beyond the United States, with its ideas and perspectives being discussed by intellectuals like George Bernard Shaw, H.G. Wells, and Bertrand Russell.

● Political Philosophy

Croly's political philosophy was characterized by his commitment to liberalism, social democracy, and American exceptionalism, which was influenced by the ideas of Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt. He believed in the importance of democracy, individual freedom, and social justice, and was critical of capitalism and imperialism, drawing on the ideas of Karl Marx and Vladimir Lenin. Croly's thought was also shaped by his interactions with prominent intellectuals, including John Dewey, Thorstein Veblen, and Charles Beard, who were all associated with the American Historical Association and the American Economic Association. His writings often explored the intersection of politics, economics, and culture, drawing on the ideas of Max Weber, Émile Durkheim, and Georg Simmel.

● Legacy

Herbert Croly's legacy is complex and multifaceted, reflecting his influence on American liberalism and progressive thought, as seen in the writings of notable figures like Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry Truman, and John F. Kennedy. His work at The New Republic helped shape the magazine's editorial direction and tone, which continues to influence American politics and culture today, with its ideas and perspectives being discussed by intellectuals like Noam Chomsky, Cornel West, and Naomi Klein. Croly's thought has also been criticized for its limitations and contradictions, particularly with regards to issues like racism and imperialism, which were addressed by notable figures like W.E.B. Du Bois and Martin Luther King Jr.. Despite these criticisms, Croly remains an important figure in American intellectual history, and his ideas continue to be studied and debated by scholars and intellectuals around the world, including those associated with the American Philosophical Society and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

● Personal Life

Herbert Croly's personal life was marked by his intense focus on his work and his commitment to his intellectual pursuits, which was similar to the dedication of other notable figures like Immanuel Kant and Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel. He was married to Louise Emory Croly, and the couple had two children, Herbert David Croly and Louise Croly, who were both influenced by their father's intellectual legacy. Croly's relationships with other intellectuals, including Walter Lippmann and John Dewey, were also important to his personal and professional life, and he was a frequent visitor to the Salons of notable figures like Mabel Dodge Luhan and Gertrude Stein. Despite his many accomplishments, Croly's life was also marked by personal struggles and tragedies, including the loss of his son Herbert David Croly in World War I, which was a devastating blow to the family, and was mourned by notable figures like Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson.