Jonathan Swift's Satirical Proposal: Eating Children to Combat Poverty

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Jonathan Swift's satirical essay, "A Modest Proposal", is about a concerned economist proposing that the poor should eat and sell their own children in order to combat the poverty and overpopulation of Ireland. At the time, Ireland was going through a horrendous famine and the struggling citizens were under the power of Britain who did not have much concern for them. The British were mainly protestant while Ireland were catholic which made the relationship between the two even more hateful. Jonathan Swift's intention of this essay was to solely point out the selfish nature of British policy towards Ireland, and towards the poor in general.

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Obviously Swift isn't really wanting Ireland to turn to

cannibalism as a means to fix the economy, he is simply blaming Britain for all of the hardships that Ireland was having to face. "A Modest Proposal" is a historical essay, written by a famous author, who proclaims that Ireland could easily fix the solution simply by eating and selling their own children when they reach the age of one.

Jonathan Swift's thesis in this essay is clearly stated when the narrator exclaims, and it is exactly at one year old that I propose to provide for them in such a manner as instead of being a charge upon their parents or the parish, or wanting food and raiment for the rest of their lives, they shall on the contrary contribute to the feeding, and partly to the clothing, of many thousands." (Swift 504) Swift is claiming that by eating and selling children when they reach one year of age, that it will help Ireland's economic status and their problem with overpopulation.

Not only did the narrator talk about selling and eating children, but he also gave many reasons as to why this would help the economic crisis that Ireland was facing. He gave six major points as to why infanticide was overall beneficial to everyone. The first reason the narrator listed was that it would lessen the number of papists, or Catholics. Obviously, this was sarcasm directed towards the Irish that they are all worthless. The second reason stated was that the poorer tenants would have something valuable of their own. He goes on to say

that it will, "—help to pay their landlord's rent, their corn and cattle being already seized and money a thing unknown." (Swift 507) He not only tries to appeal to the poorer citizens, but the ones that are well-off as well. Thirdly, he says that by eating and selling children, Ireland's economic state will rise. The fourth reason given is that after one year of having the child, the parents will no longer have to be responsible for them.

He then goes on to talk about how child abuse will decrease because the parents will not want to harm something that is going to be making them money. Now, this is where things start to get pretty vivid. His next reason goes on to say that the meat off of the children will make delicious new meals to attract new customers and they can charge a decent amount of money for them. Lastly, he states that it will have a great inducement to marriage. By parents knowing that they will only have the said child for a year, Swift says that it will lower domestic violence between parents because children have a very stressful impact on a relationship but these parents know that they will only have to put up with it for about a year so they muster through it. Swift gave more than enough supporting evidence for his proposal to prove that all in all, it would do nothing but good for the poor Ireland people.

Jonathan Swift does present many warrants throughout his essay. When he begins to state all the reasons to eat children he proclaims, "For first, as I have already observed, it would greatly lessen the number of Papists, with whom we are yearly over-run" (Swift 507). Swift later goes on to support those with more than one warrant. The warrant would be that there would be less beggars in the streets and the more money could be saved because it would reduce the number of Ireland citizens thus, destroying the overpopulation problem.

This is very accurate because Swift explicitly stated before that, "The number of souls in this kingdom being usually reckoned one million and a half, of these I calculate there may be about two hundred thousand couples whose wives are breeders; from which number I subtract thirty thousand couples who are able to maintain their own children although I

apprehend there cannot be so many under the present distresses of the kingdom; but this

being granted there will remain an hundred an seventy thousand breeders." (Swift 505) Before Swift had even presented his warrant, he made sure to back it up by using statistics to show the reduced population count.

Furthermore, after Swift presents the proposal and backs up all his information, he does offer a rebuttal. In the rebuttal Swift declares, "I can think of no one objection that will possibly be raised against this proposal, unless it should be urged that the number of people will be thereby much lessened in the kingdom."(Swift 508) He is simply justifying why some people would not want to participate in such proposal. It would drastically reduce the population, possibly resulting in Ireland becoming underpopulated. Swift insists that he is not unwilling to hear alternative solutions. As he states, "After all, I am not so violently bent upon my own opinion as to reject any offer proposed by wise men, which shall be found equally innocent, cheap, easy, and effectual." (Swift 509) He just sees no other proposal that would be as effective.

Lastly, the author uses many rhetorical appeals throughout the entire essay. One such appeal would be logos, also known as statistics or factual information. There are many examples of logos that are used in the essay. For example, when the narrator is giving out statistics about the population of Ireland and how it would change drastically with the help of his proposal. He also uses an "expert opinion" to prove that his proposal would be successful. "I have been assured by a very knowing American of my acquaintance in London, that a young healthy child well nursed is at a year old a most delicious, nourishing, and wholesome food, whether stewed, roasted, baked, or boiled" (Swift 505). There were other expert opinions and statistics used throughout the essay to back his proposal up.

Another rhetorical appeal used in the essay would be ethos, or the narrator's trustworthiness. The reader can get a strong sense of trustworthiness from the narrator in this

story because he goes into such great detail about said proposal and gives more than enough information to back it up. Secondly, he presents counter-arguments to give his audience the chance to make their own valid opinion about the matter. He does not try to persuade the reader to pick his idea, but presents it in a justly matter and even proclaims that he is open to any other ideas that would work just as great.

The last rhetorical appeal used in "A Modest Proposal", would be pathos, or the emotions and motivational appeals. Swift has the narrator do a tremendous job at this. When the narrator begins talking about economy relief of Ireland he is speaking directly to the people. Overpopulation was a huge thing at that time and it applied to everyone. Also, when the narrator begins to call the Ireland people papists saying, "it would greatly lesson the number of Papists, with whom we are yearly overrun, being the principal breeders of the nation as well as our most dangerous enemies; and who stay at home on purpose to deliver the kingdom to the Pretender" (Swift 507). Being called a papist was a huge insult back then and it angered the Ireland people tremendously.

Overall, "A Modest Proposal"was a very interesting read and Swift did a good job sticking to the point he was trying to make. By using a satirical approach throughout the entire essay, instead of just criticizing the people, Swift called out the problems that Ireland was facing but he did it in such a manner to not agitate the British. There was so much sarcasm and dry humor in this piece that someone could really think that Swift was being serious about eating and selling children. However, he did do an admirable job at getting Britain's attention and speaking his mind without coming off extremely rude. The way Swift wrote satirically to speak honestly to the people can easily relate to today's time. He handled his frustration and anger towards Britain in a more adult way than most would which is how the people today should react to a similar situation. In conclusion, this essay was a good piece of historical importance that will most likely carry on in American literacy for a long time.