Another example is the Hanoi's rat massacre. In 1902, Hanoi, Vietnam was plagued by rats. The French colonial government, in an attempt to control the rat popu

Another example is the Hanoi's rat massacre. In 1902, Hanoi, Vietnam was plagued by rats. The French colonial government, in an attempt to control the rat population, offered a bounty for each rat killed. However, this plan backfired spectacularly. People started breeding rats to collect the bounty! And the rat population exploded. This led to a surge in the bubonic plague, which killed thousands of people. This event is a perfect example of the Shirky principle. Once a solution becomes institutionalized, it may perpetuate or even exacerbate the problem to secure its own existence. [1] https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/hanoi-rat-massacre-1902 https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/hanoi-rat-massacre-190...