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Tradition One, Long form:

Each member of Alcoholics Anonymous is but a small part of a great whole. 

A.A. must continue to live or most of use will surely die. Hence our 

common welfare comes first. But individual welfare follows close afterward.





 From: Grapevine©, December 1947

Tradition One



Our whole AA program is securely founded on the principle of humility -- 

that is to say, perspective. Which implies, among other things, that we 

relate ourselves rightly to God and to our fellows; that we each see 

ourselves as we really are -- "a small part of a great whole". Seeing 

our fellows thus, we shall enjoy group harmony. That is why AA Tradition 

can confidently state, "Our common welfare comes first."





"Does this mean," some will ask, "that in AA the individual doesn't 

count too much? Is he to be swallowed up, dominated by the group?"





No, it doesn't seem to work out that way. Perhaps there is no society on 

earth more solicitous of personal welfare, more careful to grant the 

individual the greatest possible liberty of belief and action. Alcoholics

 Anonymous has not "musts." Few AA groups impose penalties on anyone for

 nonconformity. We do suggest, but we don't discipline. Instead, compliance

 or noncompliance with any principle of AA is a matter for the conscience

 of the individual; he is the judge of his own conduct. Those words of 

old time, "judge not," we observe most literally.





"But," some of us argue, "if AA has no authority to govern its individual

 members or groups, how shall it ever be sure that the common welfare does

 come first? How is it possible to be governed without a government? If 

everyone can do as he pleases, how can you have aught but anarchy?"





The answer seems to be that we AA's cannot really do as we please, though

 there is no constituted human authority to restrain us. Actually, our 

common welfare is protected by powerful safeguards. The moment any action 

seriously threatens the common welfare, group opinion mobilizes to remind 

us; our conscience begins to complain. If one persists, he may become so

 disturbed as to get drunk; alcohol gives him a beating. Group opinion 

shows him that he is off the beam, his own conscience tells him that he 

is dead wrong, and, if he goes too far, Barleycorn brings him real 

conviction.





So it is we learn that in matters deeply affecting the group as a whole, 

"our common welfare comes first." Rebellion ceases and cooperation begins

 because it must; we have disciplined ourselves.





Eventually, of course, we cooperate because we really wish to; we see 

that without AA there can be little lasting recovery for anyone. We gladly 

set aside personal ambitions whenever these might harm AA. We humbly 

confess that we are but "a small part of a great whole."