Page 14 - The Twelve Concepts for World Service

P-8__TwelveConcept.qxp_Layout 1 7/29/16 10:42 AM Page 14

Concept VII

The Conference recognizes that the Charter and the Bylaws of the General
Service Board are legal instruments: that the Trustees are thereby fully em -
powered to manage and conduct all of the world service affairs of Alcoholics
Anonymous. It is further understood that the Conference Charter itself is not a
legal document: that it relies instead upon the force of tradition and the power
of the A.A. purse for its final effectiveness.

his Concept attempts to clarify the relationship
T and “balance of powers” between the Conference
and the General Service Board. “This . . . may look
like the collision of an irresistible force with an
immovable object.” On the one hand, “the board is
invested with complete legal power over A.A.’s funds
and services; on the other hand the Conference is
clothed with such great influence and financial power
it could overcome the legal rights of the board.
“Thus, the practical power of the Conference is,
in the final analysis, superior to the legal power of
the board. This superior power derives from the
traditional influence of the Conference Charter
itself; from the fact that the delegates chosen by
the groups always constitute more than two-thirds
of the Conference members”; and finally from the
ability of the delegates to cut off financial support
by the groups. “Theoretically, the Conference is an
advisory body only; but practically speaking, it has
all the ultimate power it may ever need.”
The Conference “recommends” — though its
recommendations have the force of directives to the
board. The board executes these recommendations.
The board does have the legal authority to veto a
Conference recommendation — but in actual practice,
it never has done so. As Bill tactfully puts it, the
trustees “simply refrain from using their legal right
to say ‘no’ when it would be much wiser, all things
considered, to say ‘yes.’