Tradition Four

Our A.A. experience has taught us that:

With respect to its own affairs, each A.A. group should be responsible to no other authority than its own conscience. But when its plans concern the welfare of neighboring groups also, those groups ought to be con sulted. And no group, regional committee, or individual should ever take any action that might greatly affect A.A. as a whole without conferring with the trustees of the General Service Board. On such issues our common wel fare is paramount.

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