Modest Proposal

In a modest proposal Jonathan Swift is using and extreme suggestion to wake people up. To bring to the government's attention that people are living in filth and famine. There was a major population problem in Ireland during the 1700's. The population grew from "3 to 8.5 million between 1700 and 1845". Famine in Ireland was common in the 18th and 19th centuries. The Great Famine was actually in 1845 after Swift. but it was still a problem then because of the growing population. I think that Swift was showing how serious the problem was by this odd peice. To actually suggest eating children, showed how this was a major issue and needed some attention and solutions. The government needed to do something, or the people needed to stop having children. I also believe that he is pointing out the social classes with in this peice also. By stating that the poor families will sell thier children to the rich landlords and the "money will circulate among ourselves". I think this is also referring to the fact that many people in ireland were purchasing goods from other countries at this time, and he is saying that thye should be buying things from their own country.

Also he says "let no man talk to me of these and the like sxpedients, til he hathat least some glimpse of hope that there will ever be some hearty and sincere attempt to put them in practice" Talking of the population that needs to be reduced, that they need to tax the people on items that they are not buying from their own country's manufacture, that landlords need to have compassion and quite evicting people so they don't have to pay taxes on them.