The Cobra Effect

During the time of British rule of colonial India, the government became concerned that too many deadly cobras roamed the streets.The leaders came up with what appeared to be a clever solution – pay a bounty to any citizen who brought forward a dead cobra.The “cash for snakes” program worked like a charm for a while, and the streets became clear of these poisonous reptiles.

But then a shift happened.The payouts began to increase at a staggering pace.When British officials investigated, they d...