Juan Bautista Alberdi (29 August 1810-19 June 1884) was a Argentian political theorist and diplomat. Although lived most of his life in exile in Montevideo and Chile. he was one of the most influential Argentinean liberals of his age.

Alberdi was born in San Miguel de Tucumán, northern Argentina. He studied law in Buenos Aires. He fled from Argentina in fear of his powerful opponent, Juan Manuel de Rosas. However, this did not prevent him from writing many books opposing his great adversary. After Rosas had been overthrown in 1852, Alberdi decided not to return to Argentina but instead to remain in Chile.

When it was decided to write a new constitution for Argentina, Alberdi sent copies of a paper he had written entitled "Bases and Points of Departure for the Political Organization of the Argentine Republic" to the delegates chosen to write the constitution. Many of the suggestions contained in it were incorporated into the Argentine constitution of 1853. He later became an Argentine diplomat in Europe.

Alberdi died at age 73 in Paris, France. His body was returned to argentina and was interred in La Recoleta Cemetery in Buenos Aires.