Irving Kristol, Father of Neoconservatism, Dies at Age 89

by Amy Judd | September 18, 2009 at 01:46 pm

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Irving Kristol, who many refer to as the 'Father of Neoconservatism' has died today at the age of 89 at the Capital Hospice in Arlington.

He died of complications from lung cancer according to his son William Kristol.

Irving Kristol founded and edited magazine like Encounter, and the Public Interest, he taught at New York University, and he also wrote monthly opinion pieces in the Wall Street Journal. He was also an editor at Basic Books for many years.

Karl Rove, a Republican strategist who advised former president George W. Bush, called Mr. Kristol an "intellectual entrepreneur who helped energize several generations of public policy thinkers."

What he is best known for however is the rise of Neoconservatism, and he is considered the founder of the movement.

Bascially, Neoconservatism is a philosophy that the United States should use their economic and military power to bring democracy, human rights and liberalism to other countries that need help. Neoconservatives don't have a problem with a welfare state, and this term was used widely during the presidency of George W. Bush and it generated a lot of media coverage.

There has been much discussion both for and against the idea of Neoconservatism.