Discover Jonathan Swift’s masterpiece of savage satire, ‘A Modest Proposal,’ and read the complete essay online for free.
Published anonymously in 1729, Jonathan Swift’s A Modest Proposal For preventing the Children of Poor People From being a Burthen to Their Parents or Country, and For making them Beneficial to the Publick is arguably the most famous piece of satire ever written in the English language. Faced with the desperate poverty, overpopulation, and English political neglect of Ireland, Swift adopts the persona of a mathematically minded, “projector” (a term for a speculator with a scheme) who, with chilling logic and apparent benevolence, proposes a solution: that the children of the Irish poor should be fattened and sold as food to the wealthy. The essay proceeds with grotesque, deadpan detail, calculating the nutritional and economic benefits, addressing potential objections, and concluding that the scheme has no downside save for slightly reducing the population.
The power of A Modest Proposal lies in the terrifying gap between its horrifying content and its calm, rational tone. Swift’s persona is not a raving monster, but a seemingly reasonable man concerned with the public good. By pushing the heartless logic of treating human beings as mere economic units to its most extreme conclusion, Swift exposes the brutal indifference of the English ruling class and the economic theorists who viewed Ireland only as a source of profit. The satire is not aimed at the Irish, but at those who had created the conditions for such suffering and who would, Swift implies, be capable of accepting such a proposal if it were packaged correctly.
Beyond its immediate political target, the essay is a timeless attack on dehumanizing abstraction, the cruelty of “enlightened” reason divorced from morality, and the language of policy used to mask barbarity. Its relevance endures whenever bureaucratic language is used to justify human suffering, or when the poor are discussed as a statistic rather than as people. It is a weapon of rhetoric, honed to a razor’s edge.
On this page, you can confront this brilliant and shocking work. We offer the complete 1729 text for online reading and study.
Book Info
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Title | A Modest Proposal |
| Author | Jonathan Swift |
| Year of Publication | 1729 |
| Genre | Satire, Political Essay, Pamphlet |
| Language | English (Original) |
| Legal Status | Public Domain |
| Format | Online Reading |
Read A Modest Proposal Online
Encounter one of history’s most shocking—and effective—arguments. Begin reading Swift’s masterpiece of irony interactively below.
This preview introduces the proposer’s logical tone, but the full, devastating force of his “modest” argument and its horrifying specifics are available in the complete essay for our subscribers.
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About A Modest Proposal
Swift’s essay is a masterclass in sustained irony. The reader’s growing horror is achieved not through emotional appeals, but through the relentless application of pseudo-rationality to an abominable subject.
The Persona: The Reasonable Monster
The unnamed proposer is Swift’s greatest creation. He is presented as a compassionate, public-spirited citizen, deeply concerned with “the deplorable state of the kingdom.” He has “maturely weighed” the problem, consulted experts, and considered other proposals before arriving at his own. This credibility makes his eventual proposal all the more shocking. His language is that of an economic projector or social scientist: he talks of “computations,” “markets,” and “profit.”
Structure of a Logical Argument
The essay mimics the form of a serious economic proposal:
- Statement of the Problem: The poverty of Irish Catholics and the burden of their children.
- Dismissal of Inadequate Solutions: Swift actually lists real, sensible reforms (taxing absentee landlords, encouraging native industry) but dismisses them as impossible due to English opposition.
- Presentation of the Solution: The cannibalistic scheme, presented with graphic detail about carcass weights, cooking methods, and fashionable uses.
- Enumeration of Advantages: Swift lists six “benefits,” each more ghastly than the last, including reducing the number of Catholics and giving the poor a valuable asset.
- Conclusion: The proposer disclaims any personal financial interest, presenting himself as a pure patriot.
Targets of the Satire
- The English Government & Landlords: For their exploitative policies that drained Ireland of wealth and created famine.
- Economic Reductionism: The mindset of thinkers who saw people only as numbers on a balance sheet, a critique of the early Enlightenment’s dark side.
- The Heartless Observer: The proposer himself satirizes the type of person who can look upon profound human suffering and see only an intellectual puzzle to be solved.
The Shock of Recognition
The essay works because the reader is forced to participate. We follow the logic, see where it leads, and are implicated in the understanding that this is where cold, amoral calculation can end. The final, famous line—“I have no children by which I can propose to get a single penny; the youngest being nine years old, and my wife past child-bearing”—is the final, perfect twist of the knife, highlighting the proposer’s utter detachment.
Why Read A Modest Proposal Today?
In an era of data analytics, cost-benefit analyses in public policy, and dehumanizing political rhetoric, Swift’s lesson is more vital than ever. It teaches us to beware of solutions that are too neat, of language that obscures human cost, and of the arrogance of those who would “solve” poverty without empathy.
It is also a peerless example of how to use irony as a weapon for justice. To read A Modest Proposal is to witness a literary genius channeling righteous fury into a piece of writing so perfectly controlled and so devastating that it still has the power to shock and educate nearly 300 years later.
FAQ
Can I read A Modest Proposal for free?
Yes, you can read the beginning of the essay for free via our interactive preview. The complete text is available with a subscription.
Was Swift serious?
Absolutely not. The entire piece is a devastating satire. Its purpose was to shock readers in England into recognizing the horrific conditions their policies had created in Ireland and to ridicule those who proposed heartless “economic” solutions to human suffering.
What was the historical context?
Ireland in the 1720s was a colony suffering under punitive English trade laws. Protestant Anglo-Irish landlords (like Swift) owned most of the land, while the Catholic majority lived in extreme poverty, with frequent famines. Swift had written many serious pamphlets proposing reforms, to no avail. This was his most furious and ironic response.
How should students approach it?
Recognize the use of verbal irony (saying the opposite of what you mean) and situational irony (the contrast between the reasonable tone and the horrific proposal). Look for where Swift hints at real solutions he actually supported.
Can I read it on my phone?
Easily. It is a short essay, perfect for a single, impactful reading session on any device.