Claire Wolfe
Encyclopedia
Claire Wolfe is a libertarian
author
and columnist
. Some of Wolfe's favored topics are gulching or homesteading
, firearms, homeschooling
, open source
technology, and opposition to national ID and the surveillance state
or nanny state
.
Wolfe's books include such titles as 101 Things to Do 'Til the Revolution and I Am Not a Number!. Wolfe also writes or has written for a number of magazines, notably Backwoods Home Magazine, S.W.A.T. magazine, and DGC Magazine, which covers electronic, metal-backed currencies. A common subject in Wolfe's writing has been the fictional town of Hardyville, a rural
libertarian enclave populated by stereotypical characters (Dora-the-Yalie
, Bob-the-Nerd
, Carty-the-Marine
, etc.). When not writing, Wolfe is also an artist specializing in pastel portraits of people and animals and makes and sells jewelry and kaleidoscopes.
Wolfe's first book, 101 Things to Do 'Til the Revolution, was the result of disillusionment with the voting record of Republican Linda Smith of Washington, whose congressional campaign Wolfe had supported in 1994. The book advocated a radical
libertarian stance, opposed both major political parties, and encouraged self-sufficiency
and actions to minimize the influence of the government in the life of the individual, as well as ideas for monkeywrenching. It was published by Loompanics Unlimited and became an underground bestseller.
Wolfe wrote a column for WorldNetDaily
in the late 1990s and has written and blogged irregularly since then. The Freedom Outlaw's Handbook (2004) is a compilation of ideas from Wolfe's first two books, both of which are now out of print.
Libertarianism
Libertarianism, in the strictest sense, is the political philosophy that holds individual liberty as the basic moral principle of society. In the broadest sense, it is any political philosophy which approximates this view...
author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
and columnist
Columnist
A columnist is a journalist who writes for publication in a series, creating an article that usually offers commentary and opinions. Columns appear in newspapers, magazines and other publications, including blogs....
. Some of Wolfe's favored topics are gulching or homesteading
Homesteading
Broadly defined, homesteading is a lifestyle of simple self-sufficiency.-Current practice:The term may apply to anyone who follows the back-to-the-land movement by adopting a sustainable, self-sufficient lifestyle. While land is no longer freely available in most areas of the world, homesteading...
, firearms, homeschooling
Homeschooling
Homeschooling or homeschool is the education of children at home, typically by parents but sometimes by tutors, rather than in other formal settings of public or private school...
, open source
Open source
The term open source describes practices in production and development that promote access to the end product's source materials. Some consider open source a philosophy, others consider it a pragmatic methodology...
technology, and opposition to national ID and the surveillance state
Surveillance state
The surveillance state is a government's surveillance of large numbers of citizens and visitors. Such widespread surveillance is most usually justified as being necessary to prevent crime or terrorism....
or nanny state
Nanny state
A nanny state is the perception of a situation characterised by governmental policies of over-protectionism, economic interventionism, or heavy regulation of economic, social or other nature....
.
Wolfe's books include such titles as 101 Things to Do 'Til the Revolution and I Am Not a Number!. Wolfe also writes or has written for a number of magazines, notably Backwoods Home Magazine, S.W.A.T. magazine, and DGC Magazine, which covers electronic, metal-backed currencies. A common subject in Wolfe's writing has been the fictional town of Hardyville, a rural
Rural
Rural areas or the country or countryside are areas that are not urbanized, though when large areas are described, country towns and smaller cities will be included. They have a low population density, and typically much of the land is devoted to agriculture...
libertarian enclave populated by stereotypical characters (Dora-the-Yalie
YALE
RapidMiner, formerly YALE , is an environment for machine learning, data mining, text mining, predictive analytics, and business analytics. It is used for research, education, training, rapid prototyping, application development, and industrial applications...
, Bob-the-Nerd
Nerd
Nerd is a derogatory slang term for an intelligent but socially awkward and obsessive person who spends time on unpopular or obscure pursuits, to the exclusion of more mainstream activities. Nerds are considered to be awkward, shy, and unattractive...
, Carty-the-Marine
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
, etc.). When not writing, Wolfe is also an artist specializing in pastel portraits of people and animals and makes and sells jewelry and kaleidoscopes.
Wolfe's first book, 101 Things to Do 'Til the Revolution, was the result of disillusionment with the voting record of Republican Linda Smith of Washington, whose congressional campaign Wolfe had supported in 1994. The book advocated a radical
Radicalization
Radicalization is the process in which an individual changes from passiveness or activism to become more revolutionary, militant or extremist. Radicalization is often associated with youth, adversity, alienation, social exclusion, poverty, or the perception of injustice to self or others.-...
libertarian stance, opposed both major political parties, and encouraged self-sufficiency
Self-sufficiency
Self-sufficiency refers to the state of not requiring any outside aid, support, or interaction, for survival; it is therefore a type of personal or collective autonomy...
and actions to minimize the influence of the government in the life of the individual, as well as ideas for monkeywrenching. It was published by Loompanics Unlimited and became an underground bestseller.
Wolfe wrote a column for WorldNetDaily
WorldNetDaily
WorldNetDaily is an American web site that publishes news and associated content from a U.S. conservative perspective. It was founded in May 1997 by Joseph Farah with the stated intent of "exposing wrongdoing, corruption and abuse of power" and is headquartered in Washington, D.C.-History:In...
in the late 1990s and has written and blogged irregularly since then. The Freedom Outlaw's Handbook (2004) is a compilation of ideas from Wolfe's first two books, both of which are now out of print.
Quote
- "America is at that awkward stage. It's too late to work within the system, but too early to shoot the bastards." — 101 Things to Do 'Til the Revolution (1996)
- "The one thing freedom lovers need is real community. Not just the community of Web yakking. Not just the community of common ideas and ideals. But a web of institutions that serve freedom's goals." — Would You Move to the State of the Free? (2001)
Published works
- Depression 2.0: Creative Strategies for Tough Economic Times (contributor), Process MediaProcess MediaProcess Media is an independent publishing house, the result of a collaboration between Adam Parfrey of Feral House and Jodi Wille of Dilettante Press.Process was founded in 2005 and is headquartered in Port Townsend.-Awards:...
, (2009) (ISBN 978-1934170069) - Tough Times Survival Guide (contributor), Paladin PressPaladin PressPaladin Press is a book publishing firm founded in 1970 by Peder Lund and Robert K. Brown.The company publishes non-fiction books and videos covering a wide range of specialty topics, including personal and financial freedom, survivalism and preparedness, firearms and shooting, various martial...
, (2009) (ISBN 978-1-58160-711-6) - The Freedom Outlaw's Handbook: 179 Things to Do 'Til the Revolution, Paladin PressPaladin PressPaladin Press is a book publishing firm founded in 1970 by Peder Lund and Robert K. Brown.The company publishes non-fiction books and videos covering a wide range of specialty topics, including personal and financial freedom, survivalism and preparedness, firearms and shooting, various martial...
, (2007) (ISBN 1-58160-578-1) - How to Kill the Job Culture Before it Kills You: Living a Life of Autonomy in a Wage-Slave Society (2005) (ISBN 1-55950-247-9)
- I Am Not a Number!: Freeing America from the ID State (2003) (ISBN 1-55950-232-0)
- Rebelfire: Out of the Gray Zone (2005) Novel co-authored with Aaron ZelmanAaron ZelmanAaron Zelman is an American television writer and producer. He has worked in both capacities on the series Law & Order, Criminal Minds and Damages. He has been nominated for an Emmy Award and a Writers Guild of America Award for his work on Damages.-Career:Zelman began writing for television with...
(ISBN 0-9642304-8-8) - The State vs. The People: The Rise of the American Police State (2001) (ISBN 0-9642304-7-X)
- Think Free to Live Free: A Political Burnout's Guide to Life, Activism and Everything (2001) (ISBN 1-893626-45-8)
- 101 Things to Do 'Til the Revolution: Ideas and Resources for Self-Liberation, Monkey Wrenching and Preparedness, Breakout Productions; Revised edition (January 1999) (ISBN 1-893626-13-X)
- Don't Shoot the Bastards (Yet): 101 More Ways to Salvage Freedom (1999) (ISBN 1-55950-189-8)
Film work
- Innocents Betrayed Documentary Film, 2003, 58 minutes, Director: Aaron ZelmanAaron ZelmanAaron Zelman is an American television writer and producer. He has worked in both capacities on the series Law & Order, Criminal Minds and Damages. He has been nominated for an Emmy Award and a Writers Guild of America Award for his work on Damages.-Career:Zelman began writing for television with...
/Writer: Claire Wolfe, JPFO Productions.
External links
- "Clairewolfe.com" - Archive of former website (2003–2007), with weblog.
- "Living Freedom" - current (2010) weblog.
- Backwoods Home Magazine website - Archive of Wolfe columns and articles.
- Paladin Press - Current publisher of Wolfe's books.
- Artwork by Claire Wolfe - A gallery of Wolfe's drawings and pastel paintings
- Would You Move to the State of the Free? - Claire Wolfe on the Free State Project.
- Claire Wolfe speech before Libertarian Convention, April 19, 1997.