The most difficult thing about running a country is that it's full of people. The entire history of government involves somebody coming up with a plan that sounds great on paper, only to be hilariously thwarted by human nature within minutes of it passing (see: Prohibition). The world is full of these stories, and they prove time and again that it's really hard to get human beings to do something they just don't want to do. That's why ...

5 Gun Buyback Programs Result in More Guns

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Gun buyback programs are a kind of soft gun control policy in which everybody wins -- you offer cash to people to give up their firearms, but without actually forcing them to do so. The guns are then destroyed by the state, and are thus off the streets forever. Dudes like their guns, but they probably love cash even more, so, for a small fee, you can prevent tragedy down the road.

And even if only a small fraction of gun owners hand their firearms in for cash, that's still fewer guns in circulation, which can only be a good thing, right?

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"Shit. I guess I do want to get high more than I want to shoot a mother-fucker."

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The Backfire:

A study shows that, long term, these programs result in more guns. How?

Well, imagine you see a product advertised on late night television that looks awesome, but that you're not sure you want or need. For example, some new combination lawnmower and treadmill that we'll call a lawnmill (patent pending). But, you remember that you don't actually have a lawn, and that 100 percent of treadmills wind up getting turned into expensive coat racks, so you resist the urge to grab the phone.

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"Don't look at them, honey. Just keep walking. They'll only spend your exercise on crack."

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Now imagine that the government has made a promise that they will pay cash money for any unwanted lawnmill (no, wait -- treadmower!) you have, no questions asked. Suddenly there's less financial risk in ordering -- if it turns out you don't want it, you know you have a waiting buyer.

The same thing applies to guns. Those who aren't sure if they actually need one are more inclined to buy one if they know they can cash it back in if they change their mind. Or say they have a small, shitty gun and are thinking about upgrading. Hey, just sell the shitty one to the government, earn a tidy profit, and put that cash toward the purchase of a brand new, much more lethal weapon!