1. Our common welfare should come frst;
personal recovery depends upn A.A.
unity.
2. For our group perpose there is but
one ultimate authority--a loving God as
He may express Himself in our group
conscience. Our leaders are but trusted
servants; they do not govern. 3. The
only requirement for A.A. membership is
a desire to stop drinking. 4. Each
group should be autonomous except in
matters affecting other groups or A.A.
as a whole. 5. Each group has but one
primary purpose--to carry its message t
the alcoholic who still suffers. 6. An
A.A. group ought never endorse, finance
or lend the A.A. name to any related
facility or outside enterprise, lest
problems of money, property and prestige
divert us from our primary purpose. 7.
Every A.A. group ought to be fully
self-supporing, declining outside
contributions. 8. Alcoholics Anonymous
should remain forever nonprofessional,
but our service centers may employ
special workers. 9. A.A., as such,
ought never be organized; but we may
create service boards or committees
directly responsible to those they
serve. 10. Alcoholics Anonymous has no
opinion on outside issues; hence the
A.A. name ought never be drawn into
public controversy. 11. Our public
relations policy is based on attraction
rather than promotion; we need always
maintain personal anonymity at the level
of press, radio and films. 12.
Anonymity is the spirtual foundation of
all our Traditions; ever reminding us to
place principles before
personalities.