In an attempt to bring poverty to the forefront, Jonathan Swift uses satire in his essay "A Modest Proposal" to shed light on the poverty and overpopulation in Ireland. Swift points out that the streets are riddled with mothers and children begging. The children themselves to small and weak to work then grow up to be beggars, thieves or immigrants and burdens to the public. Swift contemplates selling the children into slavery but states no one will buy them, so he quickly offers up another solution which is to simply reduce poverty and overpopulation, while also stimulating the economy by selling and eating the babies.
Six Advantages of Eating Babies.
Swift not only gives the projected number of babies to sell, but the profits associated with the sales of each baby annually. Swift also offers up ideas on how the babies can be portioned and cooked. With his matter of fact tone, Swift attempts to persuade the readers into his proposal by presenting the following six advantages. First Swifts himself being a Protestant, states it would help to get rid of the Roman Catholics. Swift goes on to say that the Roman Catholics are the main breeders of the Ireland and are the reason for poverty. Secondly, Swift states that the poorer tenants will have something of value for themselves that they can pay their rent and food with, especially since their landlords have taken everything else that they own. .
Third Swift states by selling the babies the money earned for them will gain more of a profit than it would to raise them and the proceeds would benefit Ireland stimulating the economy. .
Swift states fourthly, those who are constant breeders will choose to sell their children within a year for money instead of the burden of raising them. Fifthly, Swift states taverns will make money from the customers it brings in because of the great food it will offer. Swift also suggest that the citizens will benefit from the great recipes and eating they will have as well.
