A Modest Proposal, Jonathan Swift

"A Modest Proposal for Preventing the Children of Poor People from Being a Burthen to their Parents, or the Country, and for Making them Beneficial to the Publick." This is only part of the title of the atrocious proposal of using poor country children as food. The wealthy would be able to barter for the children on size and age. This "method" would help with the poverty level, which were predominantly Catholic. Initially, this proposal was written to monk the government at the time. Proposing the idea of making money off children being sold for food. But of course there would have to be regulations. For example, children of the poor could be sold into a meat market at the age of one. With the children being sold, overpopulation and unemployment would lessen; supposedly sparing families the expense of child-bearing while providing them with a little extra income, improving the culinary experience of the wealthy, and contributing to the overall economic well-being of the nation. What an idea. Swift's form of writing was a form of satire because the idea was completely unimaginable and would never hopefully be considered. it is also described as a satire since he is "blowing out of proportion" or mocking.