Fred Woodworth

Here is a biography / profile of Fred Woodworth (often stylized as Fred Woodworth, anarchist writer) — though I should note that information about him is somewhat limited and fragmented in public sources:

Fred Woodworth – Life, Ideas, and Legacy

: Fred Woodworth is an American anarchist and atheist writer known for his long-running zine The Match!, advocacy of “anarchism without adjectives,” and critiques of authority. Explore his life, philosophy, writings, and influence.

Introduction

Fred Woodworth is a contemporary American activist, writer, and publisher known primarily in anarchist and free‐thought circles. He is often described as an “anarchist without adjectives”—that is, not aligned strictly with one branch (e.g. communist, syndicalist, individualist) but open to multiple currents of anarchist thought. He is also an atheist and critic of institutional authority, religion, and coercive government power.

His influence comes largely through his self-published zine The Match!, ongoing since about 1969, which explores topics of freedom, ethics, and critique of power.

While Woodworth is not a mainstream political figure with large institutional roles, he has a committed niche influence in underground and radical publishing, and among those interested in anarchist philosophy, independent media, and free speech.

Early Life and Background

Public sources do not provide detailed, verified information about Fred Woodworth’s date of birth, family background, or early schooling. Unlike many historical figures, his life is documented more through his works and the community around them than through formal biography.

What is known is that Woodworth has been based in Tucson, Arizona, for many years.

He is also a collector and user of old printing machinery (analog printing, non-digital typography) in producing his works.

Activism & Philosophical Orientation

Anarchism Without Adjectives & Ethical Anarchism

Woodworth identifies as an “anarchist without adjectives,” meaning he does not strictly adhere to a single sub-school of anarchism (such as anarcho-communism, anarcho-capitalism, or syndicalism). Instead, he believes that different approaches may be valid depending on context, so long as they are consistent with fundamental principles of voluntary cooperation and opposition to coercive authority.

He is also associated with the concept of ethical anarchism—the idea that means matter as much as ends, and that actions in an anarchist movement should adhere to ethical consistency, avoiding hypocrisy, violence, or coercion even in the name of freedom.

Because of this stance, Woodworth has sometimes critiqued or distanced himself from other anarchist currents that endorse violent or insurrectionary tactics, or justify theft or coercion on ideological grounds.

Independent Publishing & The Match!

One of Woodworth’s principal contributions is his long-running self-published zine, The Match! (sometimes styled The Match!). He began publishing it around 1969 and continues to do so (though irregularly).

The Match! is noted for its analog production (using non-digital typography and graphics) and emphasis on privacy, decentralization, and old printing technology.

Its content includes essays, critiques of government, religion, policing, surveillance, institutional authority, and articles on ethics, free thought, voluntary cooperation, and personal liberty.

Archival collections of The Match! and associated materials (plates, cover art, negatives, flyers) from 1972 to 2012 are stored in the Leonard H. Axe Library Special Collections.

Themes & Critiques

Key themes in Woodworth’s work include:

• The inherent risk of corruption in institutional authority and coercive power.

• Advocacy for voluntary association and personal responsibility.

• Critique of religion, police, the U.S. Census, jury duty, and the bookselling/print industry as instruments of control.

• Skepticism toward simplistic ideological labels and an openness to multiple anarchist frameworks.

• Emphasis on ethical consistency in conduct, avoiding violent or coercive acts even against oppressive systems.

Milestones & Influence

While Fred Woodworth does not occupy formal public offices or mass movements, some notable milestones and contexts are:

• Sustaining The Match! over more than five decades, maintaining a modest but dedicated readership (often cited around ~2,000 readers).

• Serving as a counterbalance in anarchist discourse: because of his critique of violent or unethical tactics, he is sometimes regarded as a “moral or ethical counterweight” to more radical or insurrectionist voices.

• Archival preservation: the collection of his publishing materials and zine issues ensures future scholarship of small-press and anarchist history.

Though not widely known in mainstream politics, his writings and zine have a steady presence in underground radical publishing and among those exploring alternative political theory.

Personality, Methods & Approach

Woodworth’s methods reflect his philosophy: low-tech, self-reliance, privacy, and minimal dependence on centralized systems. His continued use of analog printing and resistance to digital dominance is as much a symbol as a method.

He appears to value independence over scale, preferring depth of integrity over mass appeal. His critiques are often sharp and uncompromising, but grounded in consistency with his own ethical standards.

Because of the niche nature of his work, he seems to invite critique and debate through letters and reader engagement in The Match!.

Representative Quotes

Here are some quotes attributed to Fred Woodworth (from anarchist literature and quote compendiums):

• “I have no prefix or adjective for my anarchism. I think syndicalism can work, as can free-market anarcho-capitalism, anarcho-communism, even anarcho-hermits, depending on the situation. But I do have a strong individualist streak. Just plain anarchism — against government and authority — is what I’m for.”

• “Government is an unnecessary evil. Human beings, when accustomed to taking responsibility for their own behavior, can cooperate on a basis of mutual trust and helpfulness.”

• “If human beings are fundamentally good, no government is necessary; if they are fundamentally bad, any government, being composed of human beings, would be bad also.”

• “It seems like such a terrible shame that innocent civilians have to get hurt in wars, otherwise combat would be such a wonderfully healthy way to rid the human race of unneeded trash.”

Because attribution in underground publishing can sometimes be loose, these should be taken as representative of his style rather than definitively verified.

Lessons from Fred Woodworth

• Longevity in niche publishing: His decades-long commitment to The Match! shows how sustained small efforts can maintain a voice outside dominant media.

• Ethics matter: Woodworth’s insistence on consistency—not just ends but means—serves as a reminder that activism detached from principle risks hypocrisy or moral failure.

• Flexibility in ideology: By refusing rigid labels, he allows for adaptation and plural approaches within the anarchist umbrella.

• Power of the small press: Even without large-scale influence, the cumulative effect of independent writing, zines, and critical thought contributes to intellectual pluralism and dissent.

• Resistance through method: His choice of analog printing, minimal tech reliance, and privacy reflect that method can itself be a form of resistance.

Conclusion

Fred Woodworth is an exemplar of the quiet, uncompromising activist in radical intellectual culture. His work is neither flashy nor institutionally recognized—but in the realm of small presses, anarchist thought, and critical publishing, he has built a persistent presence.

While many political figures make their mark through legislation or public office, Woodworth’s legacy lies in the pages of The Match!, the conversations his critiques provoke, and the example of ethical consistency he upholds.