Read & Co. Great Essays presents this brand new edition of Jonathan
Swift's satirical essay, "A Modest Proposal" (1729). Referring to the
worsening state of poverty amongst families and children in Ireland at
the time, Swift's proposal is to solve the problem by feeding the
children of the poor to the rich. Throughout the text he uses
statistics, data, and various methods - including recipes - to evidence
the economic viability of his suggestion. The essay was received with
humour, yet Swift's powerful critique of social welfare and political
injustice is clear. Jonathan Swift (1667-1745) was a prolific writer,
poet and political pamphleteer, born into the Anglo-Irish ruling class.
He is most remembered for his scathing satirical style and other famous
works: "A Tale of a Tub" (1704) and "Gulliver's Travels" (1726).