The Modest Proposal

     In the Modest Proposal, the problem is that there are too much poor living on the streets of Ireland. Swift's solution to this is to make the children productive members of society. His suggestion is to fatten up babies and sell them to the rich for money by the age of one. This solution would help unemployment, provide money for the poor, have population control, and save mothers from having abortions. Jonathan Swift's proposal is not serious what so ever. The purpose of the Modest Proposal is to make fun of the way society treats the poor, being heartless and insincere towards them. He introduces a ridiculous solution to show that the ways of Ireland society isn't right, and society should start treating the poor with respect and come up with a solution to make them beneficial to society instead of ruling them out. This solution is not logical but he uses logic to strengthen his argument. Although his solution is ridiculous, he uses logic because Swift maps out exactly how this solution will benefit society as a whole. He calculated a math problem showing number on how this proposal can work. Also, he comes up with six solutions, one to lessen the number of papist, two that the poor tents will have something to value of their own, third the stock will increase, fourth the constant breeders will be rid of charge of maintaining them after the fist year, fifth the food is great, sixth it is a great inducement to marriage. Even though Swift is not promoting cannabalism, and is not is not serious about this proposal, he does put logic to strengthen his argument.