Reviewing A Modest 1

Running Head: ARE THERE PARALLELS BETWEEN ‘A MODEST PROPOSAL’ and HOW

ABORTION and CORPORATE OUTSOURCING HAS AFFECTED OUR LIVES TODAY?

Review of a Satire by Jonathan Swift

Reyte on Publishing
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Jonathan Swift as the author of this “Proposal” suggest ways to address the issue of mother’s

begging in the streets of Ireland for food and support for their children in the 1700’s. The

mothers are encumbered by their children according to Swift and unable to get work. They

therefore spend all of their energies begging people on the streets and causing discomfort for the

people having to deal with their self inflicted dilemma. He claims the children are of no use to

the parents as they will eventually resort to theft or being sold into slave labor. He also says they

could possibly end up being soldiers in the Spanish army of what he calls the “Pretender” (Swift,

1729). The King of England at this time has been totally non-committal in finding answers to

helping the working class. Swift therefore gives his view of the King’s attitude toward the people

as one who is oblivious to their state. Swift shares his view of how society looks down on poor

children as burdens to the Kingdom. He then proposes an answer that will end the problem by

wiping them out of existence. Swift also states that anyone with a better idea should be

remembered by a statue commemorating their contribution to society. He supposes that anyone

who could devise a way to make these street children into productive members of society would

be doing the nation a great service. It is clearly a satirized commentary on the lowly lives of Irish

children and the deplorable condition of the poor. He is appealing to the people to arise and

demand better lives for themselves and their families of the monarchy and those in authority over

the people. He is obviously concerned for the future of the children and families, attempting to

gain support from readers and even solutions to the economic conditions of the time. Reviewing

the text, this is an attempt to understand what some of those issues were.
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The number of people in Ireland has been growing to the point that the country has been unable

to support the constituents. Most of the people are poor and have no means to support

themselves. Many are starving for food and have no clothing to wear. Swift explains it this way

of contemporaries who are, “grossly mistaken in the computation” in explaining the cost of

feeding and clothing the population (Swift, 1729). He suggests, “a newborn infant can be

supported its first year on breastmilk and two shillings,…I propose they shall…contribute to the

feeding and partly to the clothing of many thousands” (Swift, 1729). He goes further to explain

how this would also lessen the number of abortions and murders of children, which were

unlawful acts committed by mothers. These acts by mothers are performed primarily to avoid the

costs of raising a child, Swift remarks. Is it the same today?

What was the proposal, well Swift is suggesting children be eaten by the poor as this is a more

economically sound use for them that will feed thousands of starving Irish. In comparison if kept

alive they only contribute to the problem adding more hungry and unemployed pawns for the

establishment.

It is clear that Swift is at a loss of how to get the attention of the societal leaders, therefore he

proposes this solution.

Up until this time, the ruling authorities have had no answer or solution to resolve issues of the

homeless, destitute masses of humanity in Ireland and this number has been growing steadily

year by year. It appears the priorities of the societal leaders demands everyone either farm or

build the cities and homes for the established aristocracy. Support for his Proposal, Swift pointed

out children “neither build houses.. or cultivate lands” (DeMaria, 1999, p. 426). However since

children cannot contribute in this way, they are left on their own to find other means of survival.
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The political controversy and voracity that drives Irish citizens to leave their own country to

serve in a foreign army as a way to get money is complicated. Would this relate to our U.S.

businesses outsourcing domestic jobs around the world? Swift considers this unpatriotic and

finds it unjustifiable to leave the country rather than standing together to strengthen it. The

society that has allowed such poverty to exist, is being blamed for perpetrating the problem

rather than finding resolutions (Johnson, 2009).

Conclusion

Therefore Swift chooses to shock the reader with this proposed solution in the attempt to get

some reaction other than apathy and disdain from the Irish themselves, the English who

subjugate the masses, and the reader. Surely someone will respond with more humane

alternatives than this extreme affront to human life. This is Swift’s intent in the hopes that a

solution can be found by the English, Irish, and commonwealth of the people, to motivate them

in regaining some dignity and control over their lives and provide a livelihood for their families.

To a similar end the United States can surely find a better solution than aborting children and

corporations moving jobs out of the country.

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References

DeMaria, R. (1999). British Literature 1640-1789. Blackwell Publishing. P. 426-478.

Johnson, A. (2009). Review: A Modest Proposal. Reyte On Publishing.

Swift, J. (1729). A Modest Proposal. Online-Literature.com. Retrieved August 3, 2009 from

http://www.online-literature.com/short.php/947?term=a modest proposal