Topic > Swift's allusion to contemporary 18th-century contexts in A Modest Proposal

Jonathon Swift's satirical pamphlet, titled A Modest Proposal (1729), portrays a composer who conceived a plan to resolve the prevailing economic crisis in Ireland. The proposed solution was to eat the children of the poor Irish. In addition to this portrayal, Swift uses satirical devices to represent Ireland's ignored poverty by England and the reasons that led to this. The high land rents set by English landowners and the tax on trade. Accordingly, contemporary contexts that were prominent in the early 18th century were also examined. For example, there are numerous references to the economic affairs of both England and Ireland. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original EssaySwift stated the idea that it was a widely recognized fact that the high population of poor people located in Ireland was an urgent issue that needed to be addressed. "All parties agree that this prodigious number of children in the arms, or on the backs, or at the heels of their mothers, and often of their fathers, is, in the present deplorable state of the kingdom, a very great additional complaint." A reference to the economic crisis that Ireland suffered during the 18th century; leading to the high number of poverty among the Irish population, an estimated population of 3 million people. Swift also used dramatic irony and the rule of three in describing a solution to this economic crisis, which would be "fair, cheap and easy". Emphasizing that destitute Irish children, who would otherwise be a burden, can in certain circumstances become productive members of society who contribute to the wealth of England. These topics of economics are explored within mercantilist views and beliefs towards work throughout eighteenth-century England. Wittkowasky (1943) defined 18th-century English mercantilism as a belief system that viewed labor as a commodity. According to him, this led to the assumption that the economic good of the state overshadowed the well-being of the individual. Furthermore, this way of operating focused on the economic expansion of England, limiting Irish trade and growth. The consequence of restricting exports of Irish goods meant that people would have to depend on the land for their livelihoods. However, many Irish did not own their land, they rented it to English landowners, who would take most of the crops grown as rent. The result is the poverty of thousands of Irish people. Furthermore, unlike another of his works, Swift places the blame for the Irish economic crisis and rising levels of poverty on the "shameful practice" of "many Irish farmers", who did not manage their farms professionally . Swift then gave possible reasons why Irish farmers allowed this to happen, which the reasons could have been "due to poverty, laziness or ignorance". While in the current text: A Modest Proposal, it is noted how the Irish suffered under "the oppression of landowners, the inability to pay rent without money or trade, the want of common support". Demonstrating Swift's desire to improve the poor lives of the Irish, along with his dislike of the treatment of farmers by the aristocratic English landowners. This juxtaposition of Swift values ​​may be an indication of one.