Why did swift write A modest proposal?

Answer 1

The English. Although Swift directly addresses the state of Ireland, it is not directly related to the Irish. After the English Civil War from 1629-1640, Ireland was left in ruins. Swift's writing was nearly one hundred years after the war (1727), but similar to the Southern US after their civil war, it took over one hundred years to fully rebuild the nation. The British eliminated all potential profiting goods from the Irish and left them with nothing. Based on the mercantilist economic theory, Ireland severely suffered. As a result, the Irish starved and were left with a dilapidated country. Swift, and history books as well, are only able to portray a fraction of this squalor. Thus he proposes an absurd cannibilistic strategy that the English would agree with in order to emphasize their lack of the moral implications in regard to the plight of the English. The Irish are often mistaken to be the audience since the text directly addresses them. But, the truth of the matter is that the Irish were absolutely hopeless and powerless to ameliorate their social and political conditions. The power of the satire directly addresses the thought process behind the English and hopes to portray their lack of morality.

Answer 2

Jonathan Swift wrote "A Modest Proposal" in 1729 as a satirical essay to draw attention to the economic conditions in Ireland under British rule. He used irony and exaggeration to criticize the British government's oppressive policies and encourage readers to reflect on the social injustices of the time.

Answer 3

Swift was one of the very earliest to advocate family planning. A Modest Proposal is a satire to highlight the consequences of unfettered human breeding.