TRADITION FOUR

Each group should be autonomous except in matters affecting other groups or AA as a whole.

This tradition is a specific application of general principles already outlined in Traditions One and Two.

Tradition One states: "Each member of Alcoholics Anonymous is but a small part of a great whole. AA must continue to live or most of us will surely die. Hence our common welfare comes first. But individual welfare follows close afterward."

Tradition Two states: “For our group purpose there is but one ultimate authority -- a loving God as he may express himself in our group conscience."

Keeping the above facts in mind this tradition guarantees autonomy to each group. With respect to its own affairs, the group may make any decisions; adopt any attitudes that it likes except the other AA groups. This means that if a single AA group wishes to take an action that might affect surrounding groups, it consults them. “On such issues our common welfare is paramount.”

Since we had been largely a band of ego-driven individualists, every conceivable deviation from 12 steps and traditions have been tried leading to confusion replacing serenity. Finally it was humbly accepted the lessons learnt from wrong to right.

At present any two or three alcoholics gathered to gather for sobriety may call themselves an AA group provided they have no other affiliation. Each group is guided strictly by their group conscious and is not responsible to any other authority except the conscious of the group. Sobriety has to be the sole objective of the group otherwise there is perfect freedom of will and action.

AA fellow should ask him self the following questions regarding this tradition:

1. Do I insist that there are only a few right ways of doing things in AA?
2. Does my group always consider the welfare of the rest of AA?
3. Do I put down other members’ behavior when it is different from mine, or do I learn from it?
4. Do I always bear in mind that, to those outsiders who know I am in AA, I may to some extent represent our entire beloved Fellowship?
5. Am I willing to help a newcomer go to any lengths – his lengths, not mine – to stay sober?
6. Do I share my knowledge of AA tools with other members who may not have heard of them?