Swift’s “A Modest Proposal”

In the beginning, Swift’s “A Modest Proposal” seems to offer solutions that can help to improve the livelihoods of the people living in the streets and people, who believe that his intentions are realistic. It is a brilliant idea to make the children from the streets useful members of society. Swift’s proposition of selling children once they attain one year old, is the surprise ending of his proposal. He regards children under one year old as goods that can be sold, to provide the rest of the family.

The particular emphasis is put on this proposal and he goes on to explain how his American friend considers the flesh of a one- year- old delicious, whether roasted, boiled, baked, or stewed (Swift, 2003, p.). The solution presented in the first section of the paragraph and can be applied without interfering with anyone’s rights. A reader can easily catch a change of thoughts, once the author states, that his American friend has assured him, that the flesh of a one year old child is nourishing. The term ‘assured’ in this case means that the author is convinced that the information is true.

He offers this proposal for public consideration, which fully supports this idea (Swift, 2003, p.). The author’s surprise proposal is not convincing enough, since he keeps avoiding the topic of the emotional attachment between the mother and the child. He considers children as goods, that can just be sold without bearing any emotional torture to the mother. No solution has been offered on how the mother can deal with the mother-child bond.

If women are considere as baby making machines, there rises a the question “Is Swift’s “A Modest Proposal” for the public good?”