Twelve Traditions

The Twelve Traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) define the ratio of an AA group whose members, other groups and AA as a whole and society. Together with the Twelve Steps, they form the ethical program of Alcoholics Anonymous.

As an aid to personal progress "The goal is recovery " are the Twelve Steps, for organizational issues in the groups ' goal is unity, " the Twelve Traditions are relevant and for the organization of the various departments in AA " The objective is service " form the 12 service principles to instructions.

The " traditions " determine, among other things, that

  • Each AA group determined by their own affairs,
  • Volunteering within AA exclusively functional ( non-hierarchical ) purposes,
  • The group should be independent financially and personally ( no donations from outside),
  • The Group holds out from public debate and
  • Although the group cooperates with other (not to AA belonging ) organizations located organizationally but not linked with these.

For the protection of the individual members and the community members are also encouraged others not to reveal their participation and participation in public.

According to most AA members is adherence to these " traditions " which requires that the Society of Alcoholics Anonymous persists and grows.

History

According to the authors of the Twelve Traditions, Bill Wilson, these principles have emerged as the essence of the experience of the various AA groups in North America during the first decade (1935-1945) of the fast-growing movement.

The Twelve Traditions were published in 1946 in a series of articles in Grapevine ( American AA members' magazine ) and initially met in various groups in the U.S. on resistors. In July 1950, they were finally at the first World Congress of AA in Cleveland (Ohio ) decided by the elected representatives of the AA groups as guiding principles of AA. Since then, their wording of Alcoholics Anonymous has not been changed.

Dissemination

Most twelve-step programs, which have borrowed the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous, and the Twelve Traditions have taken almost verbatim from the AA.

Background

It has been argued that these principles are strongly reminiscent of the non-hierarchical relations that anarchists have called for, especially since the 19th century. Casually mention Wilson this philosophical school in one of his articles about the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions (1953 ) and in the book AA Comes of Age (1957, German 1990, in particular Peter Kropotkin ).

Bill W. Anarchism
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