This was truly an “innovative” move – a mutation that would change everything. Kearns Goodwin (2005, p. 464-465) continues:
“Though it did not cover the roughly 425,000 slaves in the loyal border states-where, without the use of his war powers, no constitutional authority justified his action–the proclamation was shocking in scope. In a single stroke, it superseded legislation on slavery and property rights that had guided policy in eleven states for nearly three quarters of a century. Three and a half million blacks who had lived enslaved for generations were promised freedom. It was a daring move, Welles later said, “fraught with consequences, immediate and re mote, such as human foresight could not penetrate.'”
Most mutations fall to the wayside. They are inappropriate, “ahead-of-their-time,” or simply “not a good time.” A few mutations, however, are appropriate, timely and of great value in solving a VUCA-Plus type issue. Such was the case with the Emancipation Proclamation.
Mutations and Collective Intelligence
How did Lincoln and his cabinet translate this mutation into a valuable innovation? Even more basically, what does a group of people (in this case a presidential cabinet) do when confronted with a mutation. Kearns Goodwin (2005, p. 465) offers the following description:
“The cabinet listened in silence. With the exception of Seward and Welles, to whom the president had intimated his intentions the previous week, the members were startled by the boldness of Lincoln’s proclamation. Only Stanton and, surprisingly, Bates declared themselves in favor of “its immediate promulgation.” Stanton instantly grasped the military value of the proclamation. Having spent more time than any of his colleague contemplating the logistical problems facing the army, he understood the tremendous advantage to be gained if the massive workforce of slaves could be transferred from the Confederacy to the Union. Equally important, he had developed a passionate belief in the justice of emancipation.”
Offering an expanded perspective on the benefits inherent in Lincoln’s pronouncement, Stanton had increased the collective intelligence of Lincoln’s cabinet. Bates further expanded the intelligence, offering support from a conservative perspective. His support was based not just on the strategic rationale offered by Stanton, but also the more emotional connections he made regarding the proclamation and his own family’s hardships.
