A Modest Proposal and Other Satirical Works Summary
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Here you will find a A Modest Proposal and Other Satirical Works summary (Jonathan Swift's book).
We begin with a summary of the entire book, and then you can read each individual chapter's summary by visiting the links on the "Chapters" section.
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Last Updated: Monday 1 Jan, 2024
Chapters A Modest Proposal and Other Satirical Works Summary Overview
The pamphlet presents an ironically devised solution to tackle the prevailing poverty and destitution among the less fortunate children in Ireland. These young ones, primarily Roman Catholics, are living in abject conditions due to the extreme poverty of their families, unable to provide for their basic necessities. The proposed solution aims to transform these impoverished children into beneficial contributors to society through a seemingly straightforward, cost-effective method. The proposal facetiously suggests that these malnourished children should be groomed for consumption by the affluent landowners of Ireland. The author asserts that children from impoverished families could be sold to the meat market once they reach one year of age. This strategy, he believes, would address issues like overpopulation and unemployment, alleviate the financial burden of raising a child for poor families whilst offering them some extra income. It would also enhance the gastronomical delights of the wealthy, ultimately contributing to the nation's economic prosperity. The author provides numerical evidence to support his proposition, including specific details about the potential number of children to be sold, their weight, value, and the expected consumption patterns. He even suggests potential recipes for this proposed new source of meat, and is confident that creative chefs will quickly devise more. He further theorizes that adopting this practice of selling and consuming children could positively impact family morality, with husbands showing greater respect for their wives and parents valuing their offspring in previously unimaginable ways. He concludes that implementing this plan could effectively address Ireland's multifaceted social, political, and economic issues more effectively than any other proposed solution.
paragraphs 1-7
The writer describes the heartbreaking sight of women and kids begging in Ireland. These women, unable to work, spend all their time asking for food while their children either become thieves or go off "to fight for the Pretender" or to America for a better future. The author agrees with the majority that these poor children add to the nation's challenges. He supposes that if someone could transform these children into contributing members of society, it would benefit the whole country. The writer aims to provide for these kids and all those whose parents can barely afford to support them. The author, after years of analyzing Ireland's population problem, deems other's plans to be ineffective. He believes they've miscalculated. He puts forth his own calculations: a newborn can survive its first year on milk and a meagre two shillings. It's after this first year where his solution will apply. He intends to make them contribute to the society instead of being a burden. He also believes his plan will decrease the number of morally wrong practices like abortions and infanticides often taken up by women to avoid the financial burden. The author backs up his proposal with more data. From a population of 1.5 million, about 200,000 are childbearing women. Of these, only 30,000 can afford to raise their kids. This leaves us with 170,000 "breeders." Out of these, approximately 50,000 will lose their children in the first year, leaving 120,000 children of impoverished parents yearly. The issue at hand is, "How this Number shall be reared, and provided for?" Swift deems it impossible in the nation's current state. They can't work where there's "neither build[ing] Houses,...nor cultivate[ing] Land." Most won't be able to steal until they're six, "although, I confess, they learn the Rudiments much earlier." Children under twelve aren't profitable, and even when old enough to be sold, they don't fetch a high price to cover their upbringing costs.
paragraphs 8-19
The writer introduces his idea, assuring it "will not be liable to the least Objection." He states that a one-year-old child is "a most delicious, nourishing, and wholesome Food; whether Stewed, Roasted, Baked, or Boiled" according to an American acquaintance. From the 120,000 children born in Ireland each year, he proposes to reserve 20,000 for procreation, with a quarter being males ("one Male will be sufficient to serve four Females"), and the rest to be used as food. He even suggests possible dishes made from their meat. Delving into specifics, the writer first talks about the meat's price. As a year-old child weighs only about twenty-eight pounds, the meat would be costly, aimed towards the rich landlords who have "already devoured most of the Parents." He predicts a constant supply of this food, peaking in spring. Raising a "Beggar's Child" to the right age would cost 2 shillings annually, while the meat would be sold for ten shillings. The profit would be mutually beneficial; the mother gains eight shillings while the landlord gets "four Dishes of excellent nutritive Meat," and likely increased favour among his tenants. The author also suggests using the skin for leather, confident that there will be willing participants in Dublin for these transactions. He then mentions a friend's suggestion, an "improvement" to his plan, to use unemployed teenagers as a venison substitute due to a shortage of deer on Ireland's wealthy estates. Swift dismisses this as "their Flesh was generally tough and lean...and their Taste disagreeable" and foresees potential criticism for what could be seen as cruelty, despite it being unwarranted. He shares a story about the cannibalistic tendencies of Formosa's natives. He addresses concerns about the high number of elderly and disabled who can't work, much like the children. However, Swift reassures that he isn't worried, as these individuals are dying rapidly.
paragraphs 20-28
Swift resumes his argument, outlining the benefits his proposal will bring. It would decrease the quantity of Catholics, who are mostly poor and procreate extensively. Swift portrays them as national adversaries, particularly to the wealthy English, blaming them for political disruption, while noting the exodus of Protestants who refuse to pay tithes against their beliefs. His plan will enable impoverished tenants to clear their debts, as their offspring become a profitable asset. This scheme will benefit the economy by converting a burden into a national resource, along with the bonus of a novel culinary dish. Parents will enjoy financial gain beyond the eight-shilling selling price, since they'd be free of child-rearing costs after the first year. Tavern business is also likely to flourish due to the new delicacy. Furthermore, the proposition will bring moral gains by promoting marriage and enhancing maternal affection. It will incite a healthy rivalry among parents to "bring the fattest Child to the Market," and may reduce domestic abuse during pregnancy "for fear of a Miscarriage." A side effect of consuming child meat will be a boost in beef exports, and a raised standard for other meats, which "are in no way comparable in Taste, or Magnificence, to a well-grown fat yearling Child." Swift reckons a fifth of the "carcasses" will be eaten in London, with the remainder consumed in Ireland.
paragraphs 29-33
The writer acknowledges that his proposal might lead to a significant decrease in Ireland's population— an outcome he intended. He stresses that this proposal is tailored specifically to resolve Ireland's issues and isn't designed for other nations. He provides a list of proposed solutions others have recommended, such as imposing taxes on absentee landowners, fostering local production, rejecting overseas luxury items, reforming the morals of Irish women, promoting frugality, prudence, and temperance among citizens along with patriotism, discouraging internal division, rejecting the exploitation of the country's resources and conscience, advocating for landlords' fair treatment of tenants, and promoting honest practices among merchants. Dismissing these proposals as naive and impractical, he expresses his fatigue after endless attempts to find viable solutions, and his newfound hope in his current proposal which appears more realistic, cost-effective, and less burdensome. However, he clarifies that this proposal wouldn't affect England, as the frailty of infant flesh makes exporting it unfeasible. There's a subtle implication that there could be a nation eager to consume Ireland's entire population. The writer is open to alternative solutions provided they are as harmless, affordable, simple, and effective as his own. They should address the dire issues his proposal comprehensively tackles: how to provide for 100,000 unproductive citizens and how to alleviate the intense poverty affecting most of the Irish, some of whom "think it a great Happiness to have been sold for Food at a Year old." He reiterates his sole aim is Ireland's welfare, as demonstrated by his proposal to boost trade, care for infants, aid the poor, and offer some pleasure to the wealthy. With no personal motives, as he has no young children to profit from, his proposal is purely altruistic.