A Modest Proposal was an essay based on satire,by Jonathan Swift. He depicted the horrific conditions of Ireland and the lives of the Irish people in 1729. The problem being that England controlled Ireland, and due to the growing population at the time, the population had to be cut down. This would "Prevent the Children of Poor People from Being a Burthen to their Parents, or the Country, and for Making them Beneficial to the …showed first 75 words of 551 total…

…showed last 75 words of 551 total…heart to address the poverty issue, the essay's literal words were not to be taken seriously. It was an attempt to shock the Irish. Swift had made several proposals to the Irish Parliament. However unfortunately they were only ignored. These other proposals include the taxing of absentee landlords, encouraging the Irish industries, and to improve the quality of the land. A Modest Proposal is exactly what swift was trying to get out of the government.