A surgical instrument, comprising: an elongate shaft assembly defining a shaft axis and comprising a distal end; a surgical end effector comprising a proximal end that is pivotally coupled to said elongate shaft assembly at an attachment location on said distal end of said elongate shaft assembly for selective pivotal travel about an articulation axis that extends transversely relative to said shaft axis through a first range of articulation angles on a first lateral side of said shaft axis and through a second range of articulation angles on a second lateral side of said shaft axis; and an articulation drive assembly comprising: a distal articulation driver supported by said elongate shaft assembly for longitudinal travel relative to said elongate shaft assembly along an articulation actuation axis that is parallel to and laterally offset on one of said first and second lateral sides of said shaft axis, in response to articulation control motions applied to the distal articulation driver; and a cross link coupled to said distal articulation driver, characterized in that the cross link extends transversely across said shaft axis and is coupled to said surgical end effector at a single attachment location that is located on the other one of said first and second lateral sides of said shaft axis to selectively apply pulling and pushing motions to said surgical end effector. an elongate shaft assembly defining a shaft axis and comprising a distal end; a surgical end effector comprising a proximal end that is pivotally coupled to said elongate shaft assembly at an attachment location on said distal end of said elongate shaft assembly for selective pivotal travel about an articulation axis that extends transversely relative to said shaft axis through a first range of articulation angles on a first lateral side of said shaft axis and through a second range of articulation angles on a second lateral side of said shaft axis; and an articulation drive assembly comprising: a distal articulation driver supported by said elongate shaft assembly for longitudinal travel relative to said elongate shaft assembly along an articulation actuation axis that is parallel to and laterally offset on one of said first and second lateral sides of said shaft axis, in response to articulation control motions applied to the distal articulation driver; and a cross link coupled to said distal articulation driver, characterized in that the cross link extends transversely across said shaft axis and is coupled to said surgical end effector at a single attachment location that is located on the other one of said first and second lateral sides of said shaft axis to selectively apply pulling and pushing motions to said surgical end effector. a distal articulation driver supported by said elongate shaft assembly for longitudinal travel relative to said elongate shaft assembly along an articulation actuation axis that is parallel to and laterally offset on one of said first and second lateral sides of said shaft axis, in response to articulation control motions applied to the distal articulation driver; and a cross link coupled to said distal articulation driver, characterized in that the cross link extends transversely across said shaft axis and is coupled to said surgical end effector at a single attachment location that is located on the other one of said first and second lateral sides of said shaft axis to selectively apply pulling and pushing motions to said surgical end effector.