A Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift

"A Modest Proposal" by Jonathan Swift is a satirical essay written and published in 1729. The work shockingly suggests that Ireland's poor could solve their economic troubles by selling their children as food to the wealthy. Through sustained irony and deadpan humor, Swift uses this outrageous premise to mock hostile attitudes toward the poor and expose the dehumanizing policies of British colonial rule. The essay remains celebrated for its dark wit and biting social commentary. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

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Author Swift, Jonathan, 1667-1745
Title A Modest Proposal
For preventing the children of poor people in Ireland, from being a burden on their parents or country, and for making them beneficial to the publick
Note Wikipedia page about this book: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Modest_Proposal
Credits An Anonymous Volunteer and David Widger
Reading Level Reading ease score: 37.3 (College-level). Difficult to read.
Language English
LoC Class PR: Language and Literatures: English literature
Subject Political satire, English
Subject Religious satire, English
Subject Ireland -- Politics and government -- 18th century -- Humor
Category Text
EBook-No. 1080
Release Date
Most Recently Updated Sep 28, 2025
Copyright Status Public domain in the USA.
Downloads 30527 downloads in the last 30 days.
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