“At all responsible levels, we ought to maintain a traditional ‘Right of Participation,’ allowing a voting representation in reasonable proportion to the responsibility that each must discharge.”

“Those who bear responsibility should have a voice in the decisions that affect their work. This is the Right of Participation.” — Twelve Concepts for World Service, Concept 4

Concept 4 ensures that the people doing the work have a say in how it’s done. Responsibility and participation go together.

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What it means

“Right of Participation” — those who are responsible for carrying out decisions should have a voice in making them. Voting representation should be proportional to responsibility.

“It is not fair to hold people responsible for outcomes they had no voice in shaping. The Right of Participation corrects this.” — Twelve Concepts for World Service, Concept 4

“At all responsible levels” — this applies throughout the service structure, not just at the top. From the group level to the General Service Conference, those who bear responsibility should participate in decisions.

“Participation is not just a right — it is a responsibility. Those who are given a voice in decisions must use it wisely and in the spirit of service.” — Twelve Concepts for World Service, Concept 4

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Why it matters

“AA’s service structure works because the people in it feel ownership of the decisions made. That ownership comes from participation. Without it, the structure becomes top-down and unresponsive.” — Twelve Concepts for World Service, Concept 4

This concept is the democratic principle applied to AA’s service structure. It ensures that authority doesn’t become concentrated at the top, disconnected from the people it’s supposed to serve.

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Related tags

service · principles · concepts

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All Concepts

Concept 1 · Concept 2 · Concept 3 · Concept 4 · Concept 5 · Concept 6 · Concept 7 · Concept 8 · Concept 9 · Concept 10 · Concept 11 · Concept 12