In Jonathon Swift’s “A Modest Proposal”, it can be very hard for a reader to comprehend and understand how someone would even jokingly propose a measure as extreme as his. However, through looking at the historical and cultural aspects of this time period, readers can further understand Swift’s rational for writing this very harsh and sarcastic essay revolving around a proposal for a solution to the poverty and overpopulation of Dublin, Ireland. First of all, for the reader to comprehend this proposal, a clearer understanding of the cause for the proposal is needed. Swift uses descriptive language to describe the poverty of Dublin Ireland, and sets up his paper in a causal/proposal construction in order to describe the problem of poverty and then the solution Swift has created. To understand his solution, one must also be aware of the social characteristics of Dublin such as social classes and party entertainment. Swifts also explains these classes as he exemplifies how his solution will benefit almost all of the social classes. He also shows the extreme distinction of the classes by showing how while one is trying to survive, another is more focused on entertaining. Even though this essay and Swift’s proposal may be hard for one to comprehend, because of cultural and historical context including the causation for the essay and the different social classes, readers can come closer to further understanding Swift’s causes for jokingly proposing something so drastic. 

Swift’s proposal is obviously very extreme; so extreme where readers can understand that his proposal is very sarcastic, and is not what Swift is seriously suggesting. The reason Swift suggests such a drastic solution can only be explained through the historical context of this situation. Dublin, Ireland, in the 1700’s was overridden with men, women, and children living in poverty. Swift depicts this in the very beginning of this essay when he states, “when they see the streets, the roads, and cabin doors, crowded with beggars of the female-sex, followed by three, four, or six children, all in rags” (Swift 1).  The word choice he uses such as “beggars” and “rags” strongly suggests a place in poverty. This quote from the essay also shows the main issue as for every woman, there is three to six children, showing that the main cause for the poverty in Dublin is the overpopulation caused by multiple children. This also sets up the organization in this essay, as he introduces a problem of poverty, and then later states his solution to this problem. Dublin in the 1700’s was also a strong consumer society, as it was not uncommon for actual humans to be sold. Swift says, “I am assured by our merchants that a boy or a girl before twelve years old is no salable commodity; and even when they come to this age they will not yield above three pounds” (Swift 1). This shows that the merchants in this town are aware of the sales and prices of humans, therefore showing that selling humans is not uncommon. Since humans are sold in this culture, the reader can infer that this is a very desensitized culture where parents are willing to sell their children to be better off.  This also shows that this society is very consumer based where economics is the main concern. This again further helps the reader understand Swift’s proposal for selling infants, since other humans in this society are sold. James Ward says, “Showing how even a satire so biting as A Modest Proposal could be peddled to the polite world in full knowledge of its ironic premise, I will argue that the consumer society of early eighteenth-century Ireland could accommodate popular protest as well as consensus” (Ward 1). This statement reinforces the culture of Dublin as a consumer society which cares more about money than emotional wellbeing or emotional attachment. It also shows that because it is such a consumer society, people can come to a consensus and get behind ideas as horrific as Jonathon Swift’s sarcastic proposal. 

Another cultural aspect the readers must understand in Swift’s essay is the division of social classes. In Dublin in the 1700’s there were very distinct social classes which people did not move out of. There were those who were compared to as slaves, very poor working people, the middle class, and very high class wealthy people. Swift crafts his proposal so that almost every class is benefited. The only class that does not necessarily benefit from this proposal is the “slave class”, the Irish citizens who were indentured servants or prisoners, which is ironic because the whole proposal is centered around the idea of slavery, as they are selling a human being for money. As John Richardson states, “From the slaving economy of the period a culture of enslavement naturally developed, and it is this culture which enters and shapes A Modest Proposal” (Richardson 2). This shows the irony in A Modest Proposal since the essay is shaped around slavery, and yet the “slaves” are the only class not benefitted in this proposal. Through this, Swift subtly illustrates the poverty and hopelessness of the lowest class of Irish citizens since even Swift’s proposal cannot help them. The poverty class is the one primarily targeted in this essay, as the benefits most greatly affect them. Swift urges that it is smart for the parents to sell their babies at one-year-old because at that age, it has cost very little to raise them and they can sell them for a profit to a wealthy family. The merchant class also benefits in this proposal as they could be the middle man in this transaction and sell the babies to an upper-class family at a higher price than what they bought it for. Swift makes the distinction between the poverty class and the upper class very evident. The classes are so different that while those in poverty cannot even afford to raise their own children, the wealthy class can afford a whole human being just for a couple meals. Swift uses this example to show the very distinct contrast between the high class and low class families. Another distinction between the classes is that while the poverty class is struggling to eat and provide for their family, the upper class is not concerned about that matter at all, but is rather concerned with entertaining. Swift says, “pigs, too frequent at our tables, are no way comparable in taste or magnificence to a well-grown, fat, yearling child, which…will make a considerable figure at a lord mayor’s feast- or any other public entertainment” (Swift 3).  This shows how the upper class is far more concerned with social status and entertainment, and is far from worrying about feeding or providing for their family. Through the distinct separation of social classes, one can come closer to understanding Swift’s sarcastic proposal. 

Jonathon Swift’s proposal is very extreme; so extreme that readers could easily be mad or offended from reading his essay. This causes the reader to wonder how a culture could read this paper, understanding that it was sarcastic, and not be offended or show hatred for Swift. To further understand this, the reader must take in the cultural and historical aspects of Dublin, Ireland, in the 1700’s. They first must understand the cause for this proposal, and Swift does an excellent job as he portrays the poverty and population problem, and then creates a solution to solve this issue. The readers must also understand that this was a consumer society which had no problem with practices very similar to slavery and selling humans. This also shows the emotional disconnection parents often had with their children as it was not uncommon for parents to sell their children. The distinct social classes also play a role in this proposal as almost all of them benefit from this. Swift shows the big distinctions between the poverty and wealthy class as the poverty class can barely afford to care for their children, while the wealthy class is more concerned with entertaining.  The measure Swift proposes is obviously very extreme and would never actually be implemented in Dublin, Ireland, but through describing the cause for this action and the benefits to each of the different social classes, the reader can further understand why Swift would even propose such a sarcastic idea. 
