A Modest Proposal : For preventing the children of poor people in Ireland, from being a burden on their parents or country, and for making them beneficial to the publick

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Swift, Jonathan, 1667-1745

Language:

English

Physical Description:

1 online resource : multiple file formats

Place of Publication:

Salt Lake City, UT : Project Gutenberg,

Summary:

"A Modest Proposal" by Jonathan Swift is a satirical essay written in the early 18th century. This work is a classic example of political satire and addresses the dire circumstances faced by the poor in Ireland during that period. The essay presents a shocking and extreme solution to poverty and overpopulation, proposing that impoverished Irish families sell their children as food to the wealthy. In this ironic treatise, Swift employs a calm and logical tone to suggest that the solution to the plight of poor Irish mothers and their numerous children lies in the consumption of infants. He meticulously calculates the benefits of his proposal, including the economic advantages for families and the reduction of poverty. The essay critiques the British government's neglect of the Irish population and the dehumanizing effects of colonialism, illustrating the absurdity of the social and economic conditions that lead to such a monstrous idea. Through this startling argument, Swift encourages readers to reflect on the inhumane treatment of the lower classes and the moral responsibilities of society. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Credits:

An Anonymous Volunteer and David Widger

Notes:

Reading ease score: 37.3 (College-level). Difficult to read.

Wikipedia page about this book: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Modest_Proposal

Release date is 1997-10-01