In A Modest Proposal, Jonathan Swift proposes a satirical solution to the poverty and overpopulation of Ireland in the early 1700s. He suggests that the poor Irish should sell their children as food to the wealthy. He argues that this would benefit the poor, as it would provide them with money, and it would benefit the wealthy, as it would provide them with a cheap and nutritious food source. He also argues that it would reduce the number of beggars and vagrants in the country, and that it would be a humane solution to the problem. He concludes by suggesting that the Irish government should implement his proposal.
By Jonathan Swift · First published 1729 · Genre: Satire, Political Writing, Philosophical Writing