“眼镜蛇效果”：好心办外事的英文说法

想办法解决问题，结果办法却让情况更糟糕?在英文表达中，这被称为“眼镜蛇效果”。

The cobra effect occurs when an attempted solution to a problem actually makes the problem worse. This is an instance of unintended consequences. The term is used to illustrate the causes of incorrect stimulation in economy and politics.

“眼睛蛇效果”指的是之前尝试解决问题的措施最终却使问题恶化。这是一种意外后果的例证，用来说明在经济和政治上的不正确刺激的成因。

The term cobra effect stems from an anecdote set at the time of British rule of colonial India. The British government was concerned about the number of venomous cobra snakes in Delhi. The government therefore offered a bounty for every dead cobra. Initially this was a successful strategy as large numbers of snakes were killed for the reward. Eventually, however, enterprising people began to breed cobras for the income.

这个词来源于英国殖民印度时期的一桩轶事。英国政府非常担心德里有毒的眼镜蛇的数量问题，因此按照每人上交的死蛇数量发给奖金。最初这个办法很成功，人们为了争得奖金杀死了很多眼镜蛇。但最终，有胆量的印度人开始养殖眼镜蛇来挣钱。

When the government became aware of this, the reward program was scrapped, causing the cobra breeders to set the now-worthless snakes free. As a result, the wild cobra population further increased. The apparent solution for the problem made the situation even worse.

英国政府意识到这一点时，就停止发放奖金，导致眼镜蛇养殖者把不值钱的眼镜蛇放生。所以野生眼镜蛇的数量反而更多了。表面上为了解决问题而采取的措施，反而使得问题更糟。