Swift's "A Modest Proposal": Satire, Logic, and Moral Philosophy

Introduction to Swift's Satirical Premise

Jonathan Swift's A Modest Proposal is a satirical work that draws the reader in by defining and describing a social problem: poor families with children they are unable to feed. The shock is not withheld until the end; rather, it arrives part of the way through, when the suggestion of cannibalism is made. Swift proposes a solution intended to alleviate poverty, relieve the strain placed on families struggling to feed growing children, and create a scenario in which poor children become economically beneficial (Swift, 1729). The idea was to sell children at the age of one year, providing food for the wealthy.

The age of one year was chosen because the cost of feeding a child in the first twelve months was estimated to be very low. Swift also states he was assured that at the age of one year a child would be "most delicious nourishing and wholesome food" (Swift, 1729). The suggestion is a shock, yet the problem it addresses is very real — there were indeed many people living in poverty with a large number of children. The introduction gives no indication of the shocking solution to come, but even after it is revealed, the tone of the piece remains consistent, with logic applied to the suggestion in a way that frames it as a reasonable solution to a genuine problem.

The Economic Logic of the Proposal

The suggestion is not presented as a general solution; the argument becomes persuasive through the rigorous application of logic. The cost of raising a child is considered, and the length of time before a child can generate an economic return is used to demonstrate that children are, by default, uneconomic. During their first year of life, their cost is argued to be low, and they may therefore be supported during that period (Swift, 1729). Indeed, the more they feed and the fatter they become, the greater the potential benefit if they are used for food, as they will yield more meat (Swift, 1729).

Using babies in this way would ensure that they create economic value: their bodies would fetch a price, and there would be no need to continue feeding children designated for this purpose. Swift argues that the cost of raising a child would be approximately two shillings — including rags — but that ten shillings might be gained for a good carcass (Swift, 1729). It is even suggested that the skin could be used for gloves or boots, further increasing the value of each carcass (Swift, 1729). This rhetorical strategy of couching an outrageous proposal in the calm language of commerce is central to the essay's satirical power.

Arithmetic, Viability, and Alternatives

The viability of the argument is demonstrated through arithmetic, assessing the number of children born each year and estimating how many of those are born into families that cannot afford to raise them. A deduction is made to ensure that the breeding population can be maintained.

Swift appears to consider some alternatives, including the use of older children between twelve and fourteen years of age in the same manner. This option is dismissed, however, on the grounds that the flesh of male children of that age is reported to be tough, and that female children would be approaching breeding age (Swift, 1729). The arguments are further supported with anecdotal evidence drawn from reports about practices in other countries.

References

Diehl, N. (2012). Satire, analogy, and moral philosophy. The Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism, 71(4), 311–321.

Swift, J. (1729). 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. Retrieved from http://www.victorianweb.org/previctorian/swift/modest.html