A Modest Proposal

Basically in Swift's A Modest Proposal, he is using satire to exaggerate the economic problem in ireland. Ireland is poor and does not have enough money to support its population at the time, in 1729. As he states in his "proposal," Swift, points out that the children currently living in Ireland are a hinderance on their parents economically. They cost too much to take care of and provide no benefit to the people of Ireland. Swift is focusing this proposal towards the English, and trying to show them that they are taxing the irish too much and basically making them beg to support their families. It was already hard enough for the irish in 1729, when this was written, Ireland was going through a period of famine, fuel shortages, and emigration. Swift pokes fun at these problems to try and convince the English that what they are doing to the Irish is ridiculous. He states that the Irish can fasten up the poor, malnourished children and sell them to the rich land owners for food. Therefore, putting money in the pockets of unemployed and poverty stricken families while also taking care of the overpopulation problem.